What Happens Next?
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: Hinata had finally gotten her answer. Naruto didn't love her. What happens next, she wondered. Meanwhile tensions between the Uchihas and the rest of the Leaf were getting worse. Sasuke's father urged him to marry outside the Clan. That's when he started to notice HER and an unexpected love blooms. Though it would be a miracle if they survived everyone's attempts to "help" them.
1. Chapter 1

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** This was a request story from CharmingKitty. The essential idea is this is an AU where the Uchiha Massacre didn't happen and what happens after the Ninja War. Hinata confesses her feelings to Naruto and demands an answer. When she doesn't get the one she wants, her friends encourage her to move on. Sasuke x Hinata is the main pairing, but there will likely be other side pairings. I hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated. ^^.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing and make no money off of any of my stories.

 **Chapter Notation:** This chapter does start off as sad, but I only write happy endings. Alright, so I guess CharmingKitty wanted a more serious tone for this story. So I reviewed this chapter to edit out the grandparents. So the ending is revised.

Chapter One REVISED

"Naruto?" Hinata calls out softly to one of the main heroes of the war and the man that she had adored since she was a small child.

"Oh hey, Hinata! What's up?" The blue eyed ninja asks cheerfully and heads over.

Today was the day. She was tired of waiting. The Hyuga Heiress understood why he hadn't answered her during the war. Everyone was fighting for their lives, but now peace had finally been restored. The Leaf's efforts to rebuild were largely going well and there was no reason why she should have to wait any longer to hear if her feelings were returned.

"Do you remember what I said to you during the war?" The bluenette summons up the courage to ask.

"Oh…yeah." Naruto says and rubs the back of his head sheepishly and everyone around the current construction sight was watching the two curiously.

"It's been months. Naruto, I think that I d-eserve an answer. Do you return my love?" She asks and felt her heart pounding in her chest.

Naruto gulps. This was the moment he was dreading. Hinata was a great girl. But he just didn't love her the way that she loved him.

He didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings. So he thought if he ignored her question long enough, she'd find someone else that she liked better than him and move on. But it just hadn't happened yet.

"Yeah. You do deserve and answer. Listen, Hinata…" He says and takes her hands into his own, causing he to blush.

"Yes, Naruto?" She asks hopefully.

"I think you are great. I mean you are really pretty, nice, and you're a lot stronger than people give you credit for. You're amazing and all, but I just don't see you THAT way." He says in a rush.

Sasuke watches the entire scene unfold before with distaste. He barely knew Hinata and even he wanted to kick his best friend's ass. Naruto should have manned up and told Hinata sooner that he only wanted her friendship and had no romantic interest in the Hyuga Heiress.

It was one thing not to return someone's love, but it was just unintentionally cruelty to keep them waiting because you didn't want to hurt their feelings. He had just ended up hurting the Hyuga woman MORE in the end. Hinata looks absolutely crestfallen, he noted.

"Oh. Well thank you for finally being honest with me." She whispers softly.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I mean you are great! You're my friend. You'll always be really important to me!" Naruto continues and Sasuke smacks his forehead in the background.

He was such an idiot. The blonde unintentionally was just pouring salt in the wounds. Naruto really needed to stop saying the F word. Friend was probably the most painful word for Hinata to hear right now.

Hinata was extremely soft spoken at the best of times. So when she whispered, even Sasuke's keen hearing struggled to pick it up. But he had definitely detected more than a trace of bitterness when she said the word _**finally.**_ Naruto was Naruto though. He likely didn't hear it.

"I understand, Naruto. Well it's late. I'm going to he-ad home. Have a good night." She says and slips off, feeling utterly humiliated.

Hinata started running back towards the Hyuga Estate. She had thankfully managed not to cry in front of the construction crew. So there was just a sliver of her dignity still intact. But now the tears were flowing freely and she was sobbing. She had to get home and as soon as possible.

"Hey, can you stop for a minute?" She hears someone ask and felt that someone lightly grab her hand.

She hadn't turned back yet. But the voice was distinctly masculine. It felt like a silken caress against her ears. His touch was very gentle, as if he was afraid he might startle her further. Hinata feels her cheeks heat up, realizing he had probably heard her crying and that was why he was being so gentle.

"Please let go." Hinata pleads.

"I don't think that's a good idea. If you run home with your face covered in tears like that, your family is going to ask what happened. And I don't think you want that to happen." He tells he softly and Hinata winces.

He had a point. Whoever he was did raise a valid concern there. If any of her family members saw her this way, they were going to ask what happened. It was only natural and she knew that she wouldn't be able to explain without breaking down sobbing again. He was right.

She simply nods and turns around. Her eyes widen in surprise when she saw who was the owner of that silky voice. Sasuke Uchiha. One of Naruto's teammates.

"Sasuke?" She asks in surprise.

Hinata didn't know what was worse. The fact that Naruto's teammate had seen her cry or the fact an Uchiha had. The Uchihas were a powerful clan. The only one that could actually rival the Hyugas. They were also an isolated clan, not much was known about what happened in their District and that made them dangerous.

"Yeah. What you did back there was really brave." He murmurs and uses his sleeve to brush away her tears in a shockingly tender gesture.

"Brave?" She asks in confusion.

"You love him. He wasn't giving you answers. So you demanded it. You could have just waited forever and clung to the fantasy. But you didn't. He's such an idiot. It's not his fault. Personally, I think he was dropped on his head a lot as a baby or maybe I hit him too hard during training a few times." Sasuke offers.

Hinata blinks. Sasuke had called her brave. She didn't even know the Uchiha knew who she was. Why was he being so nice?

It didn't fit with her image of his Clan. His Clan had played a major part in the war. They were almost like demons in their ability to cut through their enemies. But here he was wiping away her tears with such kindness?

"Thank you. But I wasn't brave. I should have asked sooner. I wasted so much time." She mumbles.

"You're far more patient than I would have been. But there was a war going on and reconstruction efforts took priority over our love lives. You had some valid reasons to put it off. Don't hate the idiot. He didn't mean to hurt you. I know that he didn't. Though if it makes you feel better, next time during training, I can Chidori him in the nuts. He's clearly never going to use them anyway." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Hinata didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that. She wondered if he was actually serious about that proposal. It was hard to tell. He was an Uchiha after all.

"Would you really do that?" She asks.

"If you want me to. Besides, like I said he's clearly never going to use them. Naruto is pathetically oblivious when it comes to women." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"And you're not?" Hinata inquires.

"I can at least tell when a woman wants me. He can't even do that much." Sasuke says scoffing at his teammate.

"HINATA! HINATA! There you are! Are you okay? I heard what happened!" Ino says as she comes racing towards them.

"I'm okay. Thank you for coming after me." She says, offering a forced smile to her blonde friend.

"Of course! That's what friends do. We look out for each other. I can't believe he just said that in front of everyone. He should have at least lead you off or something!" Ino says and for the first time in his life, Sasuke found himself agreeing with the flower lover.

"Well I'm going to go. My family will wonder where I am if I'm late to dinner. I see you are in good hands here." Sasuke says and slips off.

Ino blinks. She had been so worried about Hinata, that she hadn't noticed Sasuke was there. Which was highly unusual for her, because well Sasuke Uchiha was _fucking gorgeous_ and she had had a crush on him since her Academy Days.

"What was Sasuke doing here?" She asks in confusion.

"I think he felt bad for me. He was being…nice." She mumbles.

"Oh well that was nice of him. Come on, Hinata. You need a girl's night out. You wait here. I'll go tell your father that you are staying at my place for the night." She says with a smile and races off before Hinata could object.

Soon enough, Hinata is dragged to Ino's home for a Girls Night. Somehow, she got all the female members of the Rookie Nine there and even Kurenai, Anko, and Tsunade in under 30 minutes. It was quite impressive and even a little scary.

"Here, Hinata. I heard what happened. You could definitely use a drink." Tsunade says and pours the bluenette a glass of sake.

"Lady Tsunade!" Kurenai protests.

"What? If they are old enough to kill and fight in a war, they are old enough to drink." The busty blonde reasons and Kurenai sighs, she couldn't really argue with that logic. (Still she didn't want the girls to get the idea that all of life's problems could be solved by drinking!)

"I know how you feel, Hinata." Sakura says sympathetically and Hinata thanks her.

"Well at least Sasuke never let you have false hope." She mutters and shocks even herself by doing so.

Sakura blinks. Hinata had just defended Sasuke. She wasn't aware that they were friends. Still she couldn't disagree. If there was one thing Sasuke Uchiha was, it was honest. Sometimes brutally so.

"That's true. Lady Tsunade, can you please pour me a glass? " The pink haired woman asks her teacher, who does so.

"Here's to new beginnings and finding men who will appreciate us." She says with a smile and makes a toast with Hinata.

Hinata smiles and clinks her glass with her friend. Maybe this was for the best. At least now she wouldn't end up an old maid, pinning for an answer that would never come. Besides, she had lots of friends. She'd find the right guy eventually.

"So what happened with you and Sasuke?" Ino asks out of the blue and Hinata chokes on her sake.

This got everyone's attention. Their sweet, innocent Hinata with Sasuke?! They all look at her expectantly and Hinata gives Ino a dirty look for doing this to her.

"Nothing. He saw what happened with Naruto. I guess he felt bad for me and went to check on me. He did offer to Chidori Naruto in the nuts though…" She mumbles rather quickly.

"I hope you took him up on that offer." Anko says cheerfully.

"ANKO!" Everyone else says scandalized.

"I'm just saying, the boy could have let her down gently years ago. But he didn't notice her and when he did, he didn't have the guts to tell her how he really felt. That caused our little princess over here a lot of unnecessary pain. I think a Chidori to the crown jewels might even it out a little." She says with a chuckle and reaches for the sake.

Sasuke meanwhile heads back to the Uchiha District. Since the Second Hokage's reign, his family had lived in the District and run the Police Force. He knew that Tobirama had probably meant well. But it just made things worse.

It inspired equal parts awe and fear amongst the rest of the villagers. Sasuke could feel trouble simmering just underneath the surface. Sooner or later tensions were going to boil over and how he could stop it from happening.

"Mother, father, I'm home." Sasuke calls out once he was inside.

"Welcome home, sweetheart. How is the reconstruction going?" Mikoto asks with a soft smile as she walks over and hugs her youngest son.

"Well we have the most important things done. Now it's mostly finishing touches and some shops." Sasuke answers and returns his mother's kind embrace.

"Excellent. Mikoto, my love, if you don't mind I would like to have a word alone with Sasuke." Fugaku says and caresses her cheek affectionately.

"Of course. I'll go check on dinner." She says, happy that her husband was going to attempt some father-son bonding time.

"You fought well in the War." He begins as Mikoto heads to the kitchen.

"Thank you, father." Sasuke says and wasn't at all sure where the Uchiha Patriarch was going with this.

"You have earned a good reputation for your efforts and I would like to see you use that asset wisely." He continues.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Now he definitely didn't know what his father was talking about. Use his reputation wisely?

"You are of age now, even if it is only just. But we ninjas have always tended to marry young. Our occupation is so dangerous, that is to our benefit to start families as soon as possible." Fugaku says.

"I know that. Every ninja does." Sasuke replies.

"Good. Which is why I do urge you to take advantage of your good reputation. Surely, there must be at least one girl who has caught your eye. Itachi is already married to Izumi. She's a fine woman, but she's another Uchiha." His father continues.

"Yes, I know. What's wrong with her being another Uchiha though? It's common practice to marry within your clan, as long as you aren't too closely related." Sasuke says.

Fugaku sighs. That indeed was true. He certainly would have preferred Sasuke to marry inside the clan, rather than out. But tensions were growing by the day. One way to soothe that would be by marrying someone outside the Clan. Hopefully, Sasuke would be able to see this.

"Nothing is wrong with her being an Uchiha. I prefer it actually. But I'm sure you are aware that things are growing increasingly tense between our Clan and the rest of the village?" He inquires.

"I'm aware of it. It's making me uneasy." Sasuke admits.

"One way to help soothe that would be for you to marry outside the Clan. Your role in the War means that you would have more options available to you than many in our Clan, if they tried this." He says.

Sasuke blinks. His father wanted him to marry outside the Clan? That thought had never occurred to him. He had always assumed that he would marry some very distant cousin.

Uchiha women were strong and beautiful. Marrying another Uchiha was perhaps the best way to ensure their children would have the Sharingan. And now, his father wanted him to marry outside the Clan.

"It has to be done now and then to prevent inbreeding. It's not that unusual." Fugaku says.

"I know that. I just haven't…really thought about it before. I always just assumed that I would be like Itachi." He mutters.

"As did I, but the situation being what it is…" He trails off.

Sasuke nods. He understood. He bit his lower lip. It was a nervous tick of his that he had never outgrown. Hinata had her hand gestures. Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Sakura talked to herself. Everyone had a nervous tic. Some were just better at hiding it than others.

"I'll think about it." Sasuke says.

"Good. I would prefer it if you were to marry for love. But if the situation continues to get much worse, I'm afraid that we won't have that option. You are my son. I am the Head of this Clan. Your marriage could be a powerful symbolism." He says.

"I understand." Sasuke says and sighs, crossing his arms as he looks at the clock.

Well Sasuke was taking this better than expected. A resigned wistfulness was far better than an angry tantrum, begging, or even denial. Still he did not like doing this to his son. But it was for the good of the clan. Sacrifice had to be made.

"Do not look upon this as a punishment. On the contrary, marriage can be a wonderful thing if you find the right woman. There is nothing better than waking up beside the one you love or holding your children in your arms. Even if you do not love her in the beginning, the bond between parenthood generally does help people grow closer and usually results in love." He says.

"Yes, father." He says.

It would be nice to have someone. He saw how Itachi was with Izumi. Those two were deeply in love. He knew that despite his father being at best standoffish to nearly everyone else, he adored his wife above all others. He wanted that for himself.

He had just always assumed he would find it with another Uchiha. The thought of going outside the Clan had never occurred to him. That was a large part of the reason why he never considered anyone like Sakura.

Alright, so in Sakura's case it was mostly because he didn't want to risk having pink haired sons and her personality was more abrasive than he would have preferred as time wore on. She had started off as a giggly Academy girl. Just another face in the crowd. Now she was a very talented ninja and a war hero, marrying her would be a strategically smart move…

"It is good to see you at least in deep contemplation over the matter. If you should desire any counsel, I am here to listen. So is Itachi. And while, I sincerely hope you don't go to your grandfather for advice, he is as well." Fugaku says with a chuckle.

He couldn't do it though. Sasuke just couldn't imagine being able to have children with her. He just wasn't physically attracted to her in the slightest. She was strong, smart, and loyal. Those were all good qualities. But god damn it when it came down to it, he wanted at least find his wife desirable!

"What about Sakura? She has always been fond of you and she is close to the Fifth Hokage." He offers.

"Not a good idea. I've told her for years that I didn't return her feelings. If I tried anything now…" Sasuke trails off and Fugaku nods understandably.

"What about Ino? She's quite pretty and her Clan's mind justu is formidable." He tries again.

Sasuke makes a face. Yeah, he found himself more attracted to Ino on a physical level. But she was still so high maintenance. She'd probably be resistant to the idea of children because she'd be worried about her figure. (In her defense, it was a pretty nice figure…but still.)

"Not to your liking either." He chuckles.

"Not really." Sasuke mutters.

He was hit with the realization that he would have to marry and likely soon. Sasuke mentally starts going through a list of all the Leaf women he knew. So far he was coming up blank. There had to be someone.

"It won't be immediate, unless tensions get worse. Which I'm afraid they will. There must be someone?" Fugaku urges him.

Sasuke shakes his head. He was seized with a feeling of dread. He wanted to be a good Uchiha. He knew that his father was right. His marriage could really help the Clan. But there was no one.

"What won't be immediate and dinner is ready my love?" Mikoto asks as she heads out of the kitchen.

Fugaku goes pale at the sight of his beloved wife. She would likely not take this well. She was a romantic. The woman would likely be furious that he had even suggested a marriage of convenience to Sasuke.

"You didn't tell mother?" Sasuke asks in disbelief.

"Well no. I wanted to speak with you first." The Uchiha Patriarch says.

"Tell me what? Fugaku, what is going on?" Mikoto demands and places her hands on her hips and Sasuke ducks out.

He was glad he had. Because a few minutes later, the sounds of fireball jutsus and kitchenware being thrown could heard.

His parents were fighting. They were fighting because of him. Damn it! He takes off running. Fortunately for Sasuke, Itachi saw his brother's form racing past his window. He follows him.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" He asks.

"Father wants me to get married. Mother isn't happy about it. They are fighting over me now." The younger Uchiha says with a sigh.

"I did have concerns that something like this would happen. I should have warned you. For that I am truly sorry, Sasuke. I had hoped I would be wrong. Is there anyone that you find suitable?" He asks.

Sasuke just shakes his head. There was no one. He hadn't even had a crush. Sure, there had been women he found physically attractive. But it had never been deeper than that.

"A tremendous burden has been placed on you. I wish I could take it from you." Itachi says with a sigh.

"But then you wouldn't have Izumi." He says.

Itachi nods. He couldn't imagine a life anymore without his beautiful wife. But seeing Sasuke like this, it cut him to the bone. Sasuke was not meant to be a creature of such melancholy. This wasn't right.

He frowns. For years, tensions had been allowed to build. The elder Uchiha knew that it was a miracle that they hadn't already boiled over into violence. He supposed it was just a matter of time before they did. There had to be a way to stop this. Clearly, Fugaku Uchiha thought that a marriage would be the best way to do so.

"That is true. But I loathe seeing you like this. You shouldn't have to even be considering marriage now. You aren't even twenty. You should be flirting with whatever pretty girl happens to catch your eye, not trying to find a wife." He mutters.

"It doesn't matter. I'm an Uchiha. I will do whatever I have to in order to protect our Clan. If that means getting married, then I will do it. I just don't really know how to…" He trails off.

"Love someone as you should love your wife? It should come naturally Sasuke. When you find the right woman, it comes as naturally as breathing. I do wish for this for you more than you will ever know." Itachi tells him.

"Exactly. And she would have to the Uchiha District. It's a likely a completely different culture than the one she's used to. She'd feel isolated. How can I possibly make her happy, if she feels like an outsider?" Sasuke says with a sigh and looks up at the Full Moon.

It was beautiful, yet so far away. Sasuke supposed that on this night that was very fitting. It was a lot like love. He saw the love his brother and father had for their wives. He wanted that for himself. But for the life of him, he didn't see how to grasp it. Sasuke realized he might as well have been trying to reach out and grab the Moon itself in his hand.

"She would hardly be the first wife to marry into the Clan. They all adjust if given enough time. You just have to love her through it. Be there for her. Show her that you care. Such arrangements are difficult enough for the woman without an inattentive husband." He tells Sasuke.

Sasuke nods. He'd find someone. The younger brother would do his best to do exactly as Itachi said. He did want to make his wife happy. He just didn't know who she was yet. He'd just have to find a way to capture the Moon.


	2. Chapter 2

What Happens Next?

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. The end of chapter one has been revised. You can go back and read that if you want. But the change really shouldn't have confused the story line, if you don't feel like doing so. I did it upon the request of CharmingKitty. Anyway onto chapter two.

Chapter Notation: Neji lives in this because I say so. He's not a jerk, he's just overprotective.

Chapter Two

The next day, Hinata was heading to the training fields. Her sadness for the moment had worn off. It had been replaced by a righteous anger. As she was passing through the market, she saw a familiar head of black, spiky hair. It was Sasuke.

The bluenette decides she should thank him. He had in his own way tried to comfort her. Granted he had done so by threatening to Chidori Naruto where NO man wanted to Chidoried, but it still counted.

She buys some tomatoes from a stand and walks over to him. One of the few things she knew about Sasuke is that he liked tomatoes. He always ate them at the Academy.

"Good morning, Sasuke." Hinata calls out softly.

"Morning, Hinata." He says and looks at her curiously, she had never greeted him before.

Hinata walks over to him. Maybe this was a dumb idea. But she really thought she should thank him somehow. Words just didn't seem to be enough. He had helped her through the worst day of her life. She owed him more than just a simple, _"Thank you."_

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday. You were very kind to me. Naruto is your teammate and we barely know each other. It meant a lot to me. So I…got these for you. I remember how much you liked them at the Academy." She says and hands him the bag of tomatoes.

"Thanks. Naruto really is an idiot." He says and takes the bag from her.

"What do you mean?" She asks in confusion.

"Well in general he is a moron. But that's especially true when it comes to you. You notice the little things. Before yesterday, I doubt we even said two words to each other. But you still knew my favorite food. You're very observant. You care enough to notice the little things about everyone. " He mutters and bites into one of the tomatoes.

Hinata blinks. She had never really heard Sasuke talk that much in one go before yesterday. He'd always been rather quiet. She didn't think he was shy or a natural introvert exactly, more like he didn't socialize outside of his Clan.

"Should you really be eating those in the middle of the street? Isn't that bad manners?" She asks with a giggle.

"If they want to make an issue out of it, I can politely introduce them my fireball jutsu." Sasuke says with a shrug and goes back to eating.

Hinata didn't know he had a sense of humor. Well she supposed almost everyone did, if you got to know them. Well at least he liked her gift. That's when she noticed that people were staring at them.

She really should have expected this. Hinata was the Hyuga Heiress and Sasuke was an Uchiha. Of course people were going to stare. But it made her uncomfortable all the same.

"Sasuke, people are staring." She mumbles.

"Let them stare. We aren't doing anything wrong. So thanks for the tomatoes." He says, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

"You're welcome. I was just going to head to the training grounds." She says.

"I'll go with you if you want. You probably need to punch something and I've always wanted to test the Sharingan against the Byakugan." He offers and Hinata blinks.

Sasuke fucking Uchiha had just asked her if she wanted to train? She looks up. No the sky wasn't falling. Life could be strange sometimes.

"I'd like that. If you think you can handle me. I'm transitioning into the righteous fury stage." She admits.

"Righteous fury, sounds interesting. Didn't know you were capable of that honestly. I'll teleport us there." Sasuke says, grabbing her hand, and they disappear in a swirl of flames.

"Please don't go easy on me. Everyone always does." Hinata says.

"That's because they are idiots. Never underestimate your opponent. They teach us that at the Academy on day one. But don't worry. Holding back isn't in my nature. Still in the interest of fairness, let's just make this hand to hand combat. No jutsus." He tells her.

Hinata nods. Soon they are training. Sasuke was fast. But Hinata was more agile. Sasuke blinks. He didn't know humans could bend that way. Damn she was flexible and her Byakugan made her a formidable opponent.

"Like I said, people don't give you enough credit." He tells her as he charge at her.

It was all Hinata could do to block his punches. They were fast and furious. Possibly even bone shattering. If this was an Uchiha when they were training, she shudders to think what he'd be like if he was actually trying to hurt her.

"Thanks!" She calls out and Sasuke goes to sweep her leg out from under her, causing the bluenette to fall to the ground.

Sasuke was on her like a flash. He pinned her. The Uchiha places her hands over her head and his legs on hers, to keep from moving.

"GET OFF LADY HINATA, RIGHT NOW!" He hears someone roar and blinks, looking around.

It was Neji Hyuga. Damn it! This looked a lot worse than it was. He gets off of the bluenette and Hinata blushes deeply.

"Neji, it's alright." She tries to explain.

"It is not alright! He attacked you. How dare you attack a member of our Clan? Do you wish to go to war with our family? Is that it? What were you planning on doing to her?" The Hyuga man demands.

"I was training with her. I pinned her. That's all." Sasuke says and he could feel his anger building at the implication that he had been planning to hurt Hinata in some fashion.

"Hinata, is this true?" Neji asks her.

"Yes, Neji. Sasuke wasn't trying to hurt me. We were just training. " She explains.

Neji looks at Sasuke. Then he looks at Hinata. The Hyuga Prodigy casts another glance at the Uchiha. Was she telling the truth or just lying because she was scared of what he might do if she didn't? It was hard to tell.

"It seems that I might have misjudged you, Uchiha. I apologize. But you must admit it did look…less than innocent." Neji says.

Sasuke was tempted to tell him that where he could shove his apology. But Hinata had been through enough in the past day or so. He didn't want to add to it. Besides, he was trying to decrease tensions between his Clan and the rest of the Leaf, not start a Clan War.

"It's fine. Hinata is fortunate to have a family that is so concerned for her safety." Sasuke mutters.

"We will ALWAYS protect our own." Neji says and Sasuke didn't miss the not so subtle warning.

Neji wanted to compare kunai size it seemed. The man had balls to threaten him. Sasuke would give him that much. But he wasn't interested. He decides to give the biggest socially acceptable insult he could to Neji though. He'd ignore him.

"That was a good training session. Maybe we can do it again sometime. But I should head back to my District. It's almost lunch time. Cya." He says and walks off without even acknowledging the other man further.

"The arrogance of the Uchiha Clan knows no bounds." Neji mutters distastefully.

"Neji! He was being nice." Hinata protests.

Neji shakes his head. Hinata's biggest strength and weakness would always be her trusting and kind nature. He offers her his hand and leads her back to the Hyuga Estate.

Why would Sasuke ask her to train with him? He'd never shown any interest in her before. Perhaps he just wanted to see if he could discover some secrets of the Byakugan?

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Sakura was helping Ino with her family's flower shop. It was busy season for them. Besides, the pink haired woman was happy to have busy work to take her mind off things.

"Do you think that Hinata is going to be okay?" She asks her friend.

"I think she will eventually. It's good that she finally stood up for herself and demanded an answer. At least now she knows and can move on with her life." The blonde offers as she puts some more flowers on the shelf.

Sakura nods. She knew how hard it was to get over the one you loved, not returning your admiration. She was slowly getting over the sting of rejection herself.

Maybe it was for the best. If she and Sasuke did get married, she'd have to move into the Uchiha District. Everyone there save for him and his brother, were nearly perfect strangers to her. Her family definitely wouldn't be comfortable visiting…

"Stop that!" Ino says and whacks Sakura with a flower.

"Owe! What was that for?!" She demands.

"You were thinking about Sasuke then. Hinata needs to get over Naruto and you need to move on. Neither are interested in the two of you and there are plenty of fish in the sea!" The flower lover insists.

"Oh please! I see the way you still look at him! You can't really lecture me." Sakura defends herself.

"I'm just admiring the scenery. I don't think he's just going to magically change his mind one day and fall in love with me. Though I do wonder what's up with him and Hinata. I feel like there is more to that story." She muses thoughtfully.

Sakura raises an eyebrow. Ino couldn't possibly be serious. Did she actually think that Sasuke liked Hinata?

"Hey, don't give me that look! I'm not crazy." The blonde exclaims.

"You think that Sasuke likes Hinata?" The medic asks skeptically and looks at her friend like she had grown a second head.

"I'm not sure really. But something happened. He took off pretty quick when I showed up." Ino continues.

"He always takes off quick when you show up." Sakura says smugly.

"THAT IS NOT THE POINT!" The other woman growls.

Sakura smirks. There was nothing better than riling Ino up. They had been best friends and rivals since their Academy Days. She didn't think that was ever going to change.

"Yeah, so since he's always running away from you…I don't think that really means anything." She continues.

"Sakura! Unlike most of you, I actually have a boyfriend. I think I know what I'm talking about!" Ino protests.

"How are things going with Sai anyway? How does that work? I mean he was trained not to have any emotions for years. It has to be pretty difficult." The pink haired woman observes.

Ino sighs. That was true. She could only imagine the horror that Sai had been subjected to during ROOTS training. He still wouldn't tell her much about that time period and she couldn't blame him.

Yes, Sai was still awkward. But honestly, he was getting better at blending in. He was trying. That's what mattered most. Besides, she knew he loved her. He showed it to her by how he kissed her. She truly wanted all of her friends to be able to experience the joys of being in love. And she would help them find it!

"Better. He's getting better. I know he loves me. He just has a hard time expressing it in a socially acceptable way sometime! But I know he'll eventually be able to express himself like everyone else. He just needs some time." She says with a smile.

"Oh well that's good." Sakura says and Ino nods her head in agreement.

Meanwhile Sasuke sighs. He heads back to the District. Honestly, it was hard to hide his bitterness when he left it. People were always going to be suspicious of him. As much as they admired his ninja skills or looks, his last name meant that everything he did was suspect.

It was ironic. His clan had helped to found this village and effectively they were treated as useful Pariahs. It was a complicated relationship.

"They need our skills and yet they are terrified of us at the same time. That's why the Second Hokage shoved us all in the District in the first place." He mutters to himself.

Oh and he was really beginning to resent the fact that they were the village's Police Force. They protected this village internally. The very village that looked upon them all with suspicion, merely because of their last name.

When he was a child, he had been really proud that HIS family was in charge of the Police Force. It was an important job. They were protecting people and the village. Now as he got over, he realized it was designed to keep them busy and stroke their egos a bit.

"Damn them." He mutters.

Of course being the ones who dealt with all the "minor" internal problems had given them an even worse rep. No one wanted to be the one who got caught in a bar fight by an Uchiha. And the Uchihas were very good at breaking up fights, stopping robberies, and things of that nature. It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.

He tries to shake off this feeling. Sasuke realized it wouldn't do any good to become bitter. He was home now. Here in the District, he was with his family. No one would judge him here.

"Oh hey, Sasuke!" Shisui calls out.

"Hey, Shisui." Sasuke replies with a smile and walks over to one of his many cousins, but by far his favorite one.

"What's that in your hand?" He asks curiously and grabs it before Sasuke could answer him.

Shisui laughs. Tomatoes. He should have known. He honestly didn't understand his youngest brother's obsession with them. Still he supposed it was better than Itachi's favorite food. The elder brother loved cabbage and rice balls. Seriously, cabbage.

"Just some tomatoes. Hinata got them for me." Sasuke says and immediately regrets saying that last part.

"Hinata? The Hyuga Heiress? I didn't realize you two were even friends. Well that was nice of her. Don't let any of the others hear you say that though. You know there's a bit of a rivalry between the Clans." Shisui says cheerfully, as if he was overjoyed to be sharing in this great secret with Sasuke.

"They are just tomatoes and we aren't. Well maybe, we are. I guess. Did you see what happened with her and Naruto?" Sasuke mutters.

"Oh yeah. That was brutal. So what you checked on her and she decided to repay you with fruit?" He asks.

"Something like that, I guess." Sasuke agrees.

Itachi sees Sasuke and heads over to his brother. His wife was with him. The elder Uchiha had his hand on her back. The two moved as a unit. Sasuke was sure that if such a thing was possible, their breathing and chakra flow likely matched as well. He'd never seen two people who were more synchronized. It was mostly romantic, though a little creepy at times.

"How are you feeling after everything?" Itachi asks.

"Better, I guess. I'll find someone. I mean there are hundreds of female ninjas outside the Clan. There's got to be someone that I can at least…tolerate." Sasuke says with a forced smile.

"Marriage should be about far more than toleration." Izumi says.

Itachi shakes his head. His wife was trying to help. He knew that. But honestly, Sasuke was still processing that he was expected to find a wife so soon. Tolerable was at least a step in the right direction.

"Yeah. I know. But you have to start somewhere." Sasuke says with a smile.

"I suppose that's true. Come along, lunch should be ready." She says and the Uchihas head into Mikoto and Fugaku's house.

Sasuke winces. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to go back in that household again. His mother was such a sweet, gentle woman 99% of the time. The other 1% of the time though, well Madara had never stood a fucking chance against a mother's fury.)

"The worst of it seems to be over for now." Itachi assures Sasuke.

"Oh good." He says and follows his family members inside to go get something more substantial than a couple tomatoes to eat.

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, when he notices a lot of new burn marks around the house. When his mother got angry, she didn't hold back at all. It made him wonder how his father had survived this long to be honest. Then Sasuke saw Fugaku. He had more than a few lumps on his head.

"Welcome back, sweetie." Mikoto says with a deceptively sweet and innocent smile.

"Are you two done fighting? I don't want you to fight over me. Father's right. It'd be good for the Clan. He's not forcing me, mother." Sasuke says in a rush.

"You are such a sweet boy, defending your father. But he knows what he did is wrong, even if it was for the right reasons." She says.

"She has come to see that I was being logical. Your mother is still angry with me. But we have worked things out. Communication is important in a marriage. Your mother just happens to communicate with kitchenware and fireballs sometimes." He says with a sigh.

"You deserved it." She huffs.

"Perhaps I did. But that doesn't change the facts of the situation." He says with a sigh.

Mikoto looks at Sasuke with sympathetic eyes. She knew that her husband was right. His position was perfectly logical as the Head of their Clan. But as a father was another matter entirely.

Sasuke was her baby. He was her youngest. She couldn't bare the thought of forcing him into a presumably loveless marriage for the good of the Clan. It wasn't right.

"Mother, it's alright." Sasuke assures her and a hugs the dark haired woman tightly.

He'd always been closer to his mother than to his father. Fugaku was like a mountain. He was strong and unreachable. Mikoto had always doted on him. Sasuke wondered if that was because Fugaku had been so busy with Clan Matters and Itachi, that he hadn't noticed Sasuke much. Maybe her attentiveness was a way to make up for Fugaku's inattentiveness?

"Itachi and I do have some good news that should lift everyone's spirits." Izumi says, deciding to break the tension.

"What news?" Sasuke asks curiouslya.

"My love, do you want to tell them or should I?" Sasuke's sister-in-law inquires with a big smile.

"You may do it, my heart." Itachi replies and the other Uchihas raise their eyebrows at this, wondering what secret the two of them had been keeping.

Izumi nods and kisses Itachi's cheek. Truly, she was very lucky to have such a loving husband. And now their family was going to get just a little bit bigger.

"I'm pregnant." She says simply, positively beaming while she makes the announcement to her family.

"That's wonderful news!" Fugaku says.

"Our first grandchild." Mikoto says and hugs her daughter-in-law.

"Well that didn't take long. Must have been quite the Honeymoon." Shisui says and winks at Itachi, who lightly swats him.

Sasuke blinks. He was going to be an uncle. Wow. He bit his lower lip. This child was going to be born at a time when the Clan was even more isolated from the rest of the Leaf than ever. He had to do something to make sure his niece or nephew was safe. Now he had yet another reason to try to find a suitable wife.

"Congratulations brother, sister, I am so happy for you." Sasuke says.

"Thank you, Sasuke. I am sure that you will make a fantastic uncle." Itachi replies and Izumi nods.

Back at the Hyuga Estate, Hinata sighs as she allows herself to be escorted to her room by Neji. She knew that he was just trying to protect her. But honestly, she was a Jonin. She didn't need the protection. Still she humored him.

Why was it that Sasuke of all people was the only one who didn't seem to view her as a delicate flower in need of protecting? A man she had scarcely spoken two words to before two days ago, seemed to know her better in some strange way than her own family did. It was odd.

"He's probably not going to ever speak to me again after what Neji did." She mutters to herself.

Hinata wasn't stupid. She had understood the implicit warning that Neji's words to Sasuke had carried. She knew Sasuke wasn't stupid either. He had definitely noticed.

It was a miracle that he hadn't taken the bait. Things could have gotten ugly and quickly. One could only imagine the horrors that would have resulted from a Clan War between the Uchihas and the Hyugas. The streets would have run red with blood.

"Thank the Gods and Goddesses that he just left." She muses as she slips out of her sweaty training clothes.

Training with Sasuke was an intense experience. He hadn't held back at all. Most people would have been worried about hurting her or upsetting her Clan if they were too rough on her. Not him though.

Really it was hard to remember sometimes that Naruto and Sasuke were teammates. The lovable blonde always charged in without a plan and seemed to hold back when fighting women, unless they were clearly trying to kill him. Sasuke was the opposite. He always had to have a plan and gender seemed irrelevant to him.

Idly, she wondered how Team Seven functioned with three strong personalities. And then there was Kakashi, what could one say about the eccentric ninja? The man walked around everywhere reading erotic literature, wearing a mask, was late for everything, and yet was still Hokage. She had a soft spot for Kakashi. He was funny.

"I bet there is never a dull moment with that team." Hinata says to herself with a giggle.


	3. Chapter 3

What Happens Next

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. CharmingKitty you mentioned you wanted more of a PG-13 than rated R story, does that mean you don't want any lemons or limes? Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Three

Hinata was on her way to the training fields, when she saw an Uchiha in his police uniform. She knew that he wasn't Sasuke or Itachi. He was too young to be Fugaku. But she was almost positive that she had seen him around before. Perhaps some cousin of Sasuke's?

"Good morning, Hyuga Princess." He says cheerfully as he walks past her and Hinata's eyes widen in surprise at the fact he would address her at all, much less so informally.

Normally, she would assume she was being mocked. But his disposition was so friendly, that she didn't believe this to be the case. Why was this Uchiha behaving in such a familiar fashion with her? She was certain he had never spoken to her.

"G-ood morning." She stammers out in shock.

"I'm Shisui by the way. I don't believe we've ever been properly introduced." He says and extends his hand.

"Hinata." She manages to reply and shakes his hand in acknowledgment.

"Hinata Hyuga, Hanabi Hyuga, and Hiashi Hyuga…your family is certainly fond of alliteration." Shisui muses.

Hinata tilts her head to the side. She had never noticed this before. But now that he mentioned it, Shisui did have a point. She was still at a loss for why he was speaking to her though.

Shisui chuckles. Who knew that Sasuke would be attracted to the shy type? Well he could certainly understand the physical appeal. She was quite lovely to look at. He decided to help his younger cousin win over the shy princess.

"What are you laughing at?" She asks in confusion.

"It's nothing. I just wanted to thank you. Sasuke did enjoy the tomatoes you gave him. Though I know he is far too shy to actually say this." He states.

Hinata blinks. Sasuke and shy did not belong in the same sentence. There were many words she could think of to describe that ninja, but shy was certainly not one of them.

"Oh I'm glad he liked them. He was very kind to me yesterday. I was…well yesterday, was not a good day for me." She mumbles.

"Yes, I heard. Well for the record, I agree with my cousin. Naruto is an idiot for not returning your feelings." He says with a smile.

Hinata tilts her head. Why were Uchihas suddenly being so nice to her? Not that they had ever been cruel to her. Mostly they just gave Hyugas a wide birth. It was an unspoken rule. You stay on your side of the village and we will stay on ours. But now they were all approaching her.

Alright, perhaps all was an overstatement. So far it was only Sasuke and Shisui. Still it was completely out of character for the Uchiha Clan.

"Thank you. That is very kind of you to say." The bluenette says.

"You're welcome. But I mean it with the utmost sincerity. He is completely ignoring a beautiful woman, from one of the most prestigious clans in the Leaf Village. After all it is not every day that you see a female ninja with a figure as voluptuous as yours. Shisui continues and suddenly lets out a yelp of pain as a loud SMACK is heard.

"Pervert." Sasuke mutters in disgust after smacking Shisui.

Shisui nurses the growing bruise on his cheek. Ah ha. So that confirmed it then. Sasuke did have feelings for the Hyuga Princess.

Sasuke wouldn't have hit Shisui that hard or at all if he didn't. He might have looked at Shisui with disgust, scolded him, or slapped him lightly. But that had been a pretty harsh hit. Oh yeah, he had a crush.

"Sasuke?" Hinata exclaims in surprise.

"Morning, Hinata. Please forgive my cousin for being a pervert. There is one in every clan." He says with a heavy sigh.

"It's ok-ay." She mumbles.

Sasuke shakes his head. No it was not okay. He was going to kick Shisui's ass later for pulling that.

"What you do not agree that she is a beautiful woman?" Shisui asks.

Sasuke's eyes narrow. Damn it. Now he knew what was gong on here. Shisui wasn't actually being a pervert. He was just pretending to be, to see what Sasuke's reaction was and he had fallen for it.

"It was nice seeing you, Hinata. I have to go teach Shisui some manners. So I'll see you around." Sasuke mutters and drags Shisui off.

Hinata blinks. Had that really just happened? She pinches herself. Owe. Yes, that really just happened.

"I can't believe you did that!" Sasuke snarls at Shisui when they were back in the District.

"I can't believe you are in love with the Hyuga Princess!" Shisui says.

Sasuke looks at Shisui like he had grown two heads. He actually thought that Sasuke was in love with Hinata? That was laughable. Before two days ago, he had barely ever spoken to her.

Hinata was little more than a stranger to him. Privately, he conceded Shisui had a point. She was beautiful and Naruto was an idiot. But to say he was in love with her was ridiculous! She was a Hyuga. He was an Uchiha. End of story.

"You are insane. How did you draw THAT conclusion?" Sasuke asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You were jealous when I complimented on her. You smacked me much harder than you would have otherwise." He says as if it was obvious.

"Did it ever occur to you that I smacked you hard because you were being a pervert and it reflects poorly on our Clan? Or that she's a HYUGA?! Do you want to start a Clan War? She's not only a Hyuga, she's the Heiress!" Sasuke demands to know.

"Damn it. I didn't think of that. You don't think they'd really start a Clan War over a harmless comment like that, do you?" His cousin asks.

Sasuke twitches. This idiot could have started a Clan War over NOTHING. Everyone was damn lucky that Hinata was so shy. If she wasn't, she might have told her father what Shisui said. Sasuke knew Hiashi Hyuga enough to realize that he wouldn't have taken kindly to Shisui's "advances" towards his eldest daughter.

"Hinata wouldn't tell her father. She's too shy to do so. You got damn lucky. But don't push your luck further. It will run out sooner or later. I can't believe you would be so careless!" Sasuke scolds him.

Itachi raises an eyebrow as he watches his baby brother give Shisui a tongue lashing. It was rare to see him get so angry about well anything. He wondered what had gotten under his brother's skin.

"What did you do this time, cousin?" Itachi asks in amusement as he walks over.

"Nothing. Nothing." Shisui says too quickly and Itachi looks at Sasuke like, _"I don't believe him. Are you going to tell me the truth?"_

"He flirted with Hinata…HYUGA!" The younger Uchiha answers, purposely emphasizing Hinata's last name.

Itachi's eyes widen. Uh oh. This could end disastrously. The Uchihas and Hyugas at best ignored each other. At worst, well there was always a rivalry that lingered just underneath the surface. This tension could easily trigger a Clan War.

A Clan War could easily morph into a village Civil War. That would make the Leaf vulnerable to attack from other villages. This situation could spin out of control and fast.

"It wasn't like that. I have no interest in the Hyuga Princess." Shisui defends himself.

"Are you calling Sasuke a liar?" Itachi demands and raises his eyebrow as he couldn't remember a single instance where his foolish little brother had ever lied to him.

"No! I'm not! I was just testing out a theory of mine is all and it worked!" Shisui responds with smirk.

Itachi looks at Shisui curiously. His cousin seemed suspiciously smug about something. He noticed that Sasuke seemed equally flabbergasted. Hmm, what was going on here?

"Elaborate and leave nothing out. I want to know if our Clan is in danger because you acted foolishly." He hisses.

"Well the Hyuga Princess got Sasuke some tomatoes. So I wanted to see if there were real feelings involved. I happened to see her out and about a few minutes ago. I spoke with for a few minutes and complimented her on her beauty. Sasuke struck me and called me a pervert. So it is clear that it is not me who has feelings for Hinata." Shisui answers quickly, eager to avoid Itachi's wrath.

Itachi was normally such a calm and gentle person. But if you got that man angry, well it didn't end well. In some ways, Itachi might actually have the most explosive temper in the entire Clan because he only saved it for "special occasions."

"Sasuke, tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for Hinata?" He asks.

"What?! No! Of course not! I mean…perhaps friendship, but nothing more." Sasuke clarifies.

"That was two negatives, Sasuke. People do that when they really mean yes." Itachi observes.

"You can't possibly be buying this! When have I even looked at her?" Sasuke demands.

Itachi tilts his head to the side. He considers his brother's response. It's true. As far as he was aware, Sasuke had never given the Hyuga Heiress much, if any thought before.

Privately, Itachi conceded that it was possible Sasuke could have been subtle in his admiration. The elder Uchiha brother had to find out for sure. If Sasuke did have feelings for Hinata, it could carry enormous implications for their Clan's future.

"I haven't seen you look at her. But that doesn't mean you haven't. I am not with you every second of every day." His brother replies.

"I don't like her that way! I just felt bad for her because Naruto was an oblivious loser for years. He didn't even know she liked him. You'd have to be brain dead not to realize that Hinata had feelings for him." Sasuke begins.

Itachi nods as if considering his little brother's words. It was true. Even he knew that the bluenette had a soft spot for the blonde and Itachi didn't pay attention to such things.

He had Izumi. Why would he care about anyone else's relationship, if they were not Uchihas? It didn't effect him. He was a ninja who firmly believed in minding his own business.

"And then when she finally did confess, he ignored her for months. She had to confront him to get an answer out of him because he was too much of a scaredy cat to tell her that he only liked her as a friend. She was publicly humiliated! So yeah, I went after her to make sure she was okay. Is that a crime?!" Sasuke demands.

"You are getting rather defensive about this. I begin to suspect that perhaps Shisui's theory is not entirely outrageous." Itachi muses.

Sasuke blinks. Then he twitches. Now even Itachi was getting crazy ideas into his head? He looks up at the sky as if to ask, _"Why me?"_

"Exactly. Look how angry he is getting. If he had no feelings for her, he would simply laugh off my suggestion." Shisui says with a nod of his head.

"Sasuke, it's very dangerous to have feelings for a Hyuga woman. You know how tense things are between us and the rest of the village and our relations with that Clan have always been icy at best." Itachi says.

This was unbelievable! He was getting a lecture for being in love with someone who was barely more than a stranger. What was wrong with Itachi and Shisui today?!

"I know that. So it's a good thing that I don't have feelings for her other than maybe friendship. That's it. I'm not stupid Itachi. Besides, she's in love with Naruto. She just had her heartbroken. I highly doubt she's eager to put herself out there like that again so soon." Sasuke defends himself.

This just causes Itachi to look at him suspiciously. Shit. Sasuke realized a little too late that could be interrupted the wrong way. It implied that he WOULD make advances towards Hinata, if she wasn't getting over a broken heart. Damn it! Damn it!

"How gentlemanly of you to consider her feelings in such a fashion." Itachi says.

"Itachi, it really isn't what you think. I DON'T have romantic feelings for her!" Sasuke protests.

Shisui chuckles. It was amusing to watch Sasuke get so flustered. It had started out as a game more than anything. But now he was beginning to wonder if his dear cousin had indeed been struck by Cupid's Arrow.

"My love, stop teasing your brother. I'm certain that he knows better than to get involved with a Hyuga." Izumi says with a smile.

Sasuke sighs in relief. Finally, someone was on his side. Someone was seeing reason. He was so relieved that Izumi was coming to his defense, he decided he didn't care that she had apparently snuck up on them and overheard at least part of their conversation. She could keep a secret.

"Oh it's mostly in good fun. Though I am beginning to wonder." Itachi says and places a kiss on his wife's forehead.

"Anyway, I guess you're right. Sorry, Sasuke. I didn't mean to embarrass you that much. I was just having a little fun." Shisui says.

"YOU CALL THAT FUN?!" Sasuke demands.

Meanwhile Hinata arrives at her team's training grounds. Kurenai was already there. But she knew from experience that Shino and Kiba would arrive later on. Kiba was always late and Shino was always precisely on time. She and Kurenai were always early, that was just the way it was.

"Good morning, Kurenai Sensei." Hinata says cheerfully.

"Good morning, Hinata. I'm glad that you are here early. I wanted to talk to you about something and it's probably better that the boys aren't around." She says.

Hinata tilts her head to the side curiously. She wondered what her Sensei wanted to talk about that required such secrecy. It was unlike her to keep secrets from the rest of her team.

"It's about Sasuke. Is something going on between the two of you?" She asks.

"No. Sasuke was just being nice to me after what happened to Naruto. It surprised me. But it's not like we are…" Hinata trails off and blushes.

"Together?" Kurenai offers helpfully and the Hyuga Heiress nods her head.

The bluenette couldn't believe that Ino and now Kurenai would think that. Sasuke was surprisingly nice, when he wanted to be. But he was still an Uchiha. Even if she did like him, their Clans would never sanction such a match. This was especially true in her case as she was the Heiress.

"So nothing is going on." HInata says and Kurenai looks at her a bit skeptically, but nods her head.

She really didn't want to embarrass her student further. Kurenai knew she shouldn't butt in. Still she found she couldn't help it. The subtle rivalry between the Uchihas and Hyugas was the worst kept secret in the Leaf Village. Both Clans viewed themselves as being the Leaf's most powerful and prestigious of all the Leaf's Noble Clans. So it was only natural that they would have at best, aloof relations with each other.

She didn't want her student to get hurt. That was exactly what would happen if she pursued an Uchiha. The Uchihas were part of the Leaf, yet not at the same time. Kurenai was aware that their District essentially functioned as a semi autonomous mini village and that fact could only spell trouble later down the line.

"I'm sure he's a very nice boy. But I'm glad to hear that. Things have been growing more tense lately. I have to confess I am worried that it might result in bloodshed." Kurenai says.

Hinata was more than a little relieved when her teammates showed up and they began training. She couldn't help but think about Sasuke. It wasn't fair. He was just trying to be nice and everyone was immediately suspicious. She felt…some sympathy towards him. Because of his last name, everything he did was overanalyzed.

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Sai was helping Ino open her family's flower shop for the day. This was a task he didn't mind. He enjoyed helping her and he supposed in a way, flowers were the canvases of her family. There was a certain art to floral arrangement, he had noted.

"Thanks, Sai! I really appreciate this. It's just we got a really big delivery. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here." Ino says and smiles at her boyfriend.

"Oh, I don't mind. They are beautiful." He says and smiles.

Yes, he still needed to work on his smile. Sai possessed a smile that was too forced and cheerful looking. But he had been making progress. It was now slightly less creepy. Ino was sure that he would get there in time. Eventually, he'd be able to smile in a way that didn't scare people. She was sure of it!

"You seem especially happy today." Sai comments.

"Oh I am because you are here and love is in the air!" The blonde replies and Sai looks at her in confusion.

Ino sighs. She wasn't really sure how to explain this to Sai. He was still learning how to love himself. How could he possibly understand how to tell if others were in love? Oh well, she would try to explain things to him in a way that he could understand. She had never been one to back down from a challenge!

"Sasuke and Hinata." She clarifies.

"I was not aware that they had even spoken to each other, much less that they were dating. I thought Hinata was in love with Naruto? I must confess that I am rather confused at this development." The artist says.

"Well she did. But Naruto just ignored her love confession. It seems he only wants to be friends. Poor Hinata was absolutely devastated!" Ino says.

Sai nods. That was about what he expected. Still that didn't explain how Sasuke was involved. He waits for further elaboration. If Sai knew his girlfriend, she wouldn't be able to resist telling her tale. (And he did know her, very well for the record.)

"So I went after her. I expected to find her crying. I wanted to comfort her like any good friend would." Ino continues.

"Of course. I read in a book that friends often comfort each other during times of sadness. It is one way of showing that you care about each other." Sai says, rather proud of himself for remembering this.

Ino rubs the back of her head sheepishly. What he said was accurate, but it was creepy that he didn't just automatically know this. Anyway, she decides to press on with her story.

"Yes, exactly friends comfort each other when they are feeling down. Well I found her. But I wasn't the first person to do so." The blonde says as she continues to weave her elaborate tale.

"Yes, of course. Who was there?" He asks feeling like he should say something, so that his girlfriend didn't feel like she was talking to herself and being ignored. (Ignoring Ino was never a wise idea.)

"Sasuke was there. He was brushing away her tears!" Ino says as if this was some grand declaration of love.

"Perhaps he was just comforting her, as a friend would?" Sai asks.

"No. No. That was not the case. I'm telling you, he was looking at her so tenderly. There was definitely something romantic there! I would bet my life on it." The blonde insists.

Sai blinks. He wasn't particularly fond of the thought of Ino betting her life on something. What if she bet wrong and she died?

"It's an expression, Sai. I'm not literally going to die if nothing happens to them. Honestly, we really need to work on teaching you common expressions that are not meant to be taken literally. Anyway, as I was saying, there is definitely something there." The flower loving ninja states with conviction!

She knew that this was difficult for Sai to understand. But she did appreciate that he was at least trying. ROOTS had really done a number on him, she thought.

"And you would approve of this match? The thought of Sasuke and Hinata being together like us, makes you happy?" He asks.

"Well I don't know. I mean Sasuke has always been pretty aloof. He tends to stick to his Clan, but that's an Uchiha thing in general. But at least he isn't oblivious like Naruto. Hinata needs to get over him. A tall, dark, hottie would do wonders to help her do this!" She says with a squeal.

"You find him attractive. Should I be jealous?" Sai mutters in irritation.

"Of course not. He is handsome. But you are the one who holds my heart AND you are handsome. The best of both worlds." She says with a smile and kisses his cheek, causing the man to smile.

"Good. I would be very upset if you still had feelings for him. I do not want to be…second best." He says.

"You will never be second best to me." Ino assures him.

Sai nods. Ino was above all else, an honest woman. Some would argue that perhaps she was a little too honest. She said whatever was on her mind.

This did not bother him though. It made things easier. He had spent all his life keeping secrets and trying to find out the secrets of others. It was refreshing to be around someone who was completely a honest and had nothing to hide.

"So are you saying that you wish to encourage them to get together or are you hoping that it will just happen naturally?" He asks.

"Oh we are definitely going to encourage them." The blonde woman replies to her boyfriend.

Sai blinks. We? What was this we? He certainly didn't know how to go about matchmaking. Ino must realize this. Surely, she knew that he didn't have the faintest clue how to go about such a mission.

"Don't worry. With my knowledge of love and your intelligence, there's no way we can go wrong!" She says and winks at him.

Sai wasn't anywhere near as confident as his lover. But it would make her happy. He wanted to make her happy. So he would at least try for the sake of pleasing Ino. Though privately, he thought that the Uchiha and Hyuga couldn't be anymore different. Logic dictated this match would never work.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea. But I trust you." He says with a smile.

"Good. I love you, Sai." She says and kisses him.

"I love you to. I certainly do wish for your friend to find love as we have." He offers, kisses her back, and tightly holds her in his arms tightly because he never wanted to let her go.


	4. Chapter 4

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. I am really blown away by all the feedback this story is getting. Anyway, I talked to the person who requested this story. She green lighted limes and lemons later on, but wants a more slow build up than usual. So I'm sure my lemonade lovers will be happy to hear that. With that being said, I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Rosewood is a restaurant that I made up for the Leaf Village. It appears in at least one other of my stories. It's not cannon on the off chance anyone was wondering.

Chapter Four

"Did you enjoy teasing your brother about his love life?" Izumi asks with a giggle once and Itachi were home.

"Of course I did. It is my duty as his older brother to taunt him without mercy about such things. If I didn't, he would think I was neglecting him." Itachi says with a mock somberness to his voice.

She smiles and shakes her head in amusement. To most of the village, her husband was a very serious ninja. But he did have a playful side to his personality, that only other Uchihas were privileged enough to see. She adored these moments with him.

"You are going to make such a wonderful father." She says and kisses his cheek.

"And you are going to make an exceptional mother." He replies and kisses her forehead affectionately.

Izumi snuggles into her husband's loving arms and looks out the window of their kitchen. Sasuke was still chasing Shisui. Idly, she was impressed by how swift cousin Shisui was. Then again, Sasuke did look more than a little terrifying when he was holding a Chidori in his hand and giving chase.

"Do you think he would actually hit him with that?" She whispers softly to Itachi as she enjoys being held.

"I'm uncertain. Though if he does, more than likely Shisui did indeed deserve it. Sasuke is not one to lose his temper so easily. I wonder exactly what he said to Hinata that would make my foolish little brother behave so violently towards his own kin." He muses.

Izumi laughs. She could only imagine. Shisui could be down right outrageous when he wanted to be. The Uchiha woman wouldn't put it past him to try to cop a feel just to see what Sasuke's reaction would be.

"That much is true. Do you think that Sasuke actually has feelings for the little Hyuga Princess?" She inquires.

"It's difficult to say. I normally would say no. As he pointed out, he's never really looked at her before. But I can't discount the possibility that he has merely been subtle in his admiration for her. He did overreact to Shisui's teasing. I can't blame him, if he does. She is quite pretty." Itachi states offhandedly.

He gulps when he sees Izumi reach for the frying pan. Itachi backs up slowly. Damn it. He had walked right into this one.

"What was that about her being quite pretty?! Should I be worried?" She demands and approaches him menacingly with the frying pan.

"No. No! Not at all. You are the only woman that I love. You are my wife and the mother of my child. I am merely saying that I could understand HIM being physically attracted to her. That's all. To me you are the most beautiful woman in the world, no one else could compare." He says in a rush, hoping to avoid a beating.

Izumi sets the pan down and smiles at her husband sweetly. Itachi breathes a sigh of relief. She wouldn't have actually struck him, but it was good to make him think that she would. One had to keep such a handsome husband on a TIGHT leash. She was well aware of the looks that Itachi would get when he walked down the street.

"Good. Keep it that way." She says and lays her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of his arms when they wrap around her.

"Always, my love. Always." He assures her.

Uchihas were from a fire clan. Their passion and jealousy burned HOT. If you wanted to die a most painful death, the quickest way to do that was to hit on an Uchiha's lover. And the entire Leaf Village was very much aware of this fact.

Sasuke meanwhile goes and finds Naruto. After that incident with his family, he needed to punch someone. The idiotic blonde would do quite nicely.

"Loser, come on. Let's go train. Put down the damn ramen and get your ass moving." Sasuke says.

"Whoa. What's gotten into you?" The blue eyed ninja asks in confusion and follows Sasuke to the training fields.

Sometimes he truly wondered what went on inside the other man's head. It was like Sasuke had some ON and OFF switch. Naruto had yet to figure out who or what pulled the switch, but when Sasuke demanded to train so abruptly like that, Naruto knew something was up.

"This is ALL your fault." Sasuke hisses at him and throws the first punch, which Naruto barely manages to dodge.

"What's all my fault?" The blonde asks in confusion and charges at Sasuke.

If he wanted his ass kicked, Naruto was more than happy to oblige. Honestly, he could be such a moody bastard sometimes. He was worse than Sakura on some days.

"Now Itachi and Shisui think that I'm in love with Hinata because of your dumbass!" Sasuke snarls at him and grabs Naruto's arm, slamming the other man into a tree.

Naruto blinks. There was no possible way that he had heard that right. Sasuke's family thought he was in love with HINATA?! Were they crazy? The blue eyed ninja couldn't even recall a time where the two of them had even exchanged so much as a, _"Hello."_

"OWE! That hurt, bastard. What are you talking about? Why would they think that?" Naruto groans in pain and gets up, shaking himself off.

"Because after you broke her heart, I went to make sure she was alright." Sasuke begins to explain.

Naruto blinks. He broke Hinata's heart? But she had seemed fine when she left. The bastard had to be exaggerating. Hinata had actually taken it better than he thought she would.

"I did not break her heart! But go on." He urges his friend to continue his strange tale.

"Yes, you did. But that's besides the point. So I went to make sure she was okay. We talked a little bit. Ino showed up. So I left. Anyway the next day, Hinata got me some tomatoes. She wanted to thank me, I guess. I stupidly told Shisui about it." Sasuke says with a heavy sigh.

Naruto stops fighting with Sasuke for the moment. This was getting GOOD. He knew how much Sasuke's cousin loved to cause mischief. So knowing the other Uchiha, he had done something to get under the bastard's skin in a big way.

"Then what happened?" Naruto asks.

"He found her at the market. Shisui made a pass at her. I called him a pervert. So I took him back to our District to chew the idiot out. Itachi saw us. So he asked what happened and…yeah." Sasuke mutters in annoyance.

Sasuke couldn't believe this. He had tried to be a nice guy and comfort a girl who had her heart broken. Now Itachi and Shisui thought that he wanted to make Uchiha-Hyuga hybrid super babies with her or something. It was ridiculous!

"Whoa. Sorry. I didn't mean for you to get dragged into it. But they have a point. It's not like you to get involved in other people's drama." Naruto says cheerfully.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

"I mean she is really nice. If you like her, I wouldn't be mad. You should go for it." The blonde continues and doesn't notice Sasuke is now twitching.

"…." Sasuke is still speechless and is now planning to strangle the blonde for his stupidity.

"And just think you two could have super babies!" The blue eyed ninja says and cries out in alarm when Sasuke tackles him and starts punching him.

"You. Are. An. Idiot. I don't like her that way. I was just trying to clean up your mess. She's a nice girl and didn't deserve to have her heart broken in public! Seriously, you are such a fucking moron! You couldn't have at least done it in private? You had to make a public spectacle of it?!" Sasuke demands as he continues his flurry of punches, only half of which his friend managed to block.

Naruto winces from both the pain of Sasuke's punches and his point. He did feel bad about hurting Hinata. But she had taken it so well. At least he thought she did, but based on how hard Sasuke was punching him, he was wrong.

"Alright. Alright. You're right. I should have done it in private. But I can't like go back and time or something!" Naruto protests.

Sasuke sighs. He had a point. Naruto was an idiot. But he wasn't a malicious idiot. He hadn't intended to hurt Hinata. The Uchiha knew this and yet, it still pissed him off.

The fact that it angered him so much, was only making him more angry. He shouldn't be this outraged on behalf of some girl he BARELY knew. This was ALL Naruto's fault and he deserved at least a few broken bones as punishment for his stupidity! Because again, this was all Naruto's fault.

"You're still an idiot. Hopefully, they'll forget about it." Sasuke mutters.

"Yeah. I mean what's the big deal? She got you some tomatoes, so what? It's not like she proposed or something." Naruto says and Sasuke nods, surely this would blow over in a few days.

Meanwhile back at the flower shop, Sai looks at Ino a little skeptically. He wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea. This could backfire on them and badly.

"Are you sure about this?" Sai asks.

"Of course I am. Everyone loves to win contests!" Ino replies as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sai couldn't argue with that logic. But it was as contest that neither Sasuke or had entered. Surely, that would make them both suspicious?

"But neither of them entered a contest to win a free dinner. Won't they find that odd?" He inquires.

"Maybe a little. But we can say they were randomly selected!" Ino says and beams with pride at her own cleverness.

Sai didn't have the heart to tell his girlfriend that this was crazy. There was no possible way that this would end well. He knew that was a losing battle though. Once Ino got an idea stuck in her head, it was impossible to get it out of there. She was quite possibly the most stubborn woman that he had ever met.

"And assuming they both buy that, what good is this going to do? Just because they have a meal together doesn't mean much." Sai points out.

"It will be a romantic dinner!" The blonde protests.

Sai raises an eyebrow. He didn't see Sasuke as a particularly romantic person and Hinata was so shy. They barely knew each other. He failed to see how this constituted a romantic dinner and told her so.

"It's not very romantic if they don't know the other one is going to be there. This doesn't even qualify as a blind date because neither agreed to go on it with the knowledge they'd be meeting someone." The former ROOT member tries to reason with her.

"It'll work! You'll see. A romantic dinner by candlelight can work miracles. Just imagine them eating and staring into each other's eyes all throughout the evening. Beautiful music will of course be playing in the background. They will quickly realize their feelings for each other and fall deeply in love!" She say with stars in her eyes.

Sai shakes his head in amusement. Ino really seemed to think that life was movie and she was the director. He kisses her cheek and helps her with her plan. He was positive this wasn't going to work, but he would do anything for his precious flower.

"You'll see!" She continues as they work on the letters and Sai nods, humoring her.

"When you put that way, I can not see how this could possibly go wrong." He says with a smile.

Later that day, Hinata blinks when she sees she had a letter. Curious, she opens it and reads. She'd won a contest? That was strange. She didn't remember entering one.

 _ **Congratulations, Miss Hinata Hyuga,**_

 _ **You have randomly been selected as a winner of our contest. All Leaf Villagers were automatically entered to win a free dinner at Rosewood with another Leaf Villager, who also has been randomly selected. We believe this will foster closer ties between villagers. Please enjoy! Your reservation is for 8:00 P.M. this evening. Please wear formal attire.**_

 _ **Enjoy! (Your reservation card is enclosed below.)**_

Hinata decides to go. It would seem rude not to. She quickly dawns a formal kimono. It was a black silk one with white flowers on it. It was a little bit more low cut than she was used to, but she damns it not scandalous and heads off to Rosewood.

Meanwhile Sasuke receives the same letter. He slips into a navy blue formal kimono. Then the Uchiha goes to the restaurant and shows his reservation card. He's quickly seated at his table.

"Hinata?" He calls out in surprise, seeing that she was being led over to him.

"You won to?" She asks.

"I got some letter in the mail saying I won some contest for a free dinner and someone else did to. Guess it was you." Sasuke says and suddenly he feels like they might both have been set up.

"That's exactly what happened to me." She says and sits down at the table with him.

Sasuke notes it was a rather…romantic restaurant. There was classical music playing in the background. The tables had a white cloth over them with a vase of roses in the center and there were scented candles. No, this couldn't be a coincidence. Someone had definitely set them up. Damn Shisui.

"Might as well enjoy it." He says, not wanting to seem rude.

There was no reason to just dart off. The girl had already been through enough with Naruto. He could have dinner with her. She knew it wasn't a date and that's exactly how he would explain it, if anyone asked.

"Yes." She says with a smile.

She'd never really seen him in anything that wasn't his Jonin outfit or casual training clothes. The blue flattered him, she decided. When did his shoulders get that broad?

"I really am sorry about Shisui being an idiot earlier. He should know better." Sasuke says with a sigh.

"Oh it's okay! I'm not angry. He was just being nice." She says.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Was she actually innocent enough to believe that? He glances at her from head to toe and decided, yes she was really that naïve.

"No. He was just trying to embarrass me. I mean he's right, you are beautiful. But he was just trying to see if I'd get jealous. It was annoying. He acts like a Genin sometimes." Sasuke states and looks at the menu.

Hinata blushes as red as a tomato. Sasuke had called her beautiful. No one had ever called her that before, other than Shisui. (Secretly, she figured the fact she was normally surrounded by her teammates or Clan Bodyguards might have been the reason for that.)

"Hinata, are you okay? You're turning really red." Sasuke says.

"Oh I'm fi-ne." The bluenette replies shyly and grabs her menu to hide her blush as best as she could.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He still couldn't believe that a woman who was a Jonin still stuttered. Well, while he was here, he figured he could give her some advice.

"Hinata, you don't have to be that shy. You're a ninja of the Leaf Village. You're a Jonin. You're a Hyuga. You have a lot to be proud of and shouldn't be so worried about what people will say to you that you stutter." He says as he scans the menu.

"S-orry." She mumbles and Sasuke sighs.

It looked like the stutter was just deeply ingrained. He doubted it was a speech disability. She really was just that shy. The woman lacked self-confidence.

Sasuke blamed the fucking loser partially for that. He knew the main reason was her Clan though. They were so traditional and aloof, that it must be nothing short of pure torture for someone as sensitive as Hinata to live with them.

"And you DON'T have to apologize for everything." He says with an encouraging smile.

"Okay." She says with a shy smile and at the moment, Sasuke wanted to kiss her for both her progress and the fact that she looked so… _cute_ when she smiled like that.

He mentally smacked himself. Sasuke should not have thought that. He definitely should not have thought that. It was one things to be friends with her. Anything more than that was just asking for trouble. Yeah, he was going to kick Shisui's ass later for this. It was his fault for putting these thoughts into his head!

That kimono was not helping matters. Hinata normally wore her Jonin vest or a jacket over her shirt. So by pretty much anyone's standards, she dressed rather conservatively. The fact that the kimono had a lower neckline and was shorter than anything he'd seen her in before, was NOT fucking helping.

"Good. That's better." He says with a smile.

Sasuke ordered a steak dinner. Hinata ordered chicken. He tries to keep his eyes focused on his meal. But while the neckline wasn't THAT low, it was JUST low enough that such a task was proving to be annoyingly difficult. He was after all, a teenager.

"So are you going to join the police force?" She asks, trying to make conversation.

"Most likely. It's just easier." Sasuke replies honestly, not knowing why he added that last part.

"What do you mean?" She asks in confusion.

 _"It's just easier."_ Hinata mulled those words over in her head. She knew that there had to be a deeper meaning than that. With Uchihas, things were never as simple as they appeared to be on the surface.

They were a lot like volcanoes. Uchihas might look calm, but you never knew what was lurking underneath. Eventually, the magma would spill over and become a fiery explosion of lava. Well at least that's the image she had crafted in her head before she got to know Sasuke.

She mentally kicked herself for that one. She didn't know Sasuke. Not really. He'd been nice to her in her darkest moment. But she knew next to nothing about him, other than he had been an exceptional student at the Academy and was on Naruto's team. And there was that whole issue about his last name…

"It's just always easier to work with your Clan than not." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Sasuke could tell that he had probably said too much. Hinata was an observant person and probably knew that there was an underlying meaning to what he said. But fortunately for him, she wasn't one to pry either. So he was confident he could change the topic of conversation.

"That is a very nice kimono." He offers, feeling awkward.

Well he had to change the topic somehow! Girls liked talking about clothes. Normally, Sasuke didn't give a damn one way or another. But it was a good excuse and he DID like the kimono. More accurately, he liked what was probably underneath it.

Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts. Damn Shisui. His perverted cousin was rubbing off on him. Sasuke wasn't like this. He didn't ogle at women. Alright that was a lie. He did a LITTLE. It's not like he was Jirayia or Kakashi though. Now there were two world class perverts.

"Thank you. It said to dress formerly, so I…did." She replies and it was clear that he wasn't the only one that felt awkward.

"Yeah. I did as well. So…anything new with you?" He asks.

"I'm worried that Ino will try to set me up with someone. She means well but…" Hinata trails off.

"You're too nice. She means well but she should mind her own business and let you decide if you are interested in anyone." Sasuke finishes and bites into his steak.

"Something like that. What about you?" Hinata asks.

"I'm going to be an uncle. Itachi and Izumi are expecting their first child within the year." He answers.

Hinata blinks. It was hard to imagine someone as young as Sasuke being an uncle. But then again, if ninjas were sent away on potentially deadly missions at the age of twelve, it really wasn't that surprising.

"That's wonderful news! They must be so excited." The Hyuga Heiress says with a smile.

"Overjoyed. Izumi is going to milk this for all its worth. Probably drive Itachi damn near insane by the end of it. But I've never seen two people more in love than them." Sasuke continues.

Hinata nods and giggles. She knew Izumi in passing. The bluenete might not know the woman well, but she knew her well enough to realize that what Sasuke was saying was likely entirely accurate.

"I'm sure you will make a great uncle." She offers and Sasuke nods his head in thanks.

Someone wasn't watching where they were going and accidentally tripped a waiter who was crying lots of wine glasses. Hinata got completely drenched.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" The waiter apologizes profusely.

"It's okay. It was just an accident." Hinata says and desperately tries to use her arms to prevent the entire restaurant from getting quite the view.

"Hinata, come with me. I always bring a spare of my Jonin uniform. It'll be big on you, but it's better than wearing that home and catching a cold." Sasuke offers and escorts her towards the bathrooms, effectively blocking her from the vision of the other patrons.

He quickly hands her his spare uniform and she heads inside the bathroom. A few moments later, she emerges. Hinata looked a little sheepish. Sasuke could see why, the uniform had to be at least two, if not three sizes too big for her. But thankfully, it stayed on.

"Well better that than going home soaked. Want me to walk you home?" He asks.

"That's very nice of you to offer, but…" She trails off.

"Right. Your family wouldn't like it. Don't worry. I get it. You can keep the uniform. It looks better on you anyway." Sasuke says.

"Thank you." She says and blushes.

There was something disturbingly, _hot_ about seeing her in his clothes. Damn it. Alright. He could deal with this. He was physically attracted to her. It didn't really mean anything. It wasn't like he was dumb enough to act on it.

"You're welcome. So I'll see you around." He says.

"Yeah. Good night, Sasuke." Hinata says and the two quickly head off in different directions towards their family homes.

Hinata races towards the Hyuga Estate. She had to get out of Sasuke's Jonin uniform before anyone else saw. Her family would wonder why she was wearing a uniform that was far too big for her. That would result in some rather awkward questions.

 _"I mean he's right, you are beautiful."_ She remembers him saying and blushes.

Sasuke had just been trying to be nice. She was sure of that. Still she kept thinking about it. Hinata gulps when she noticed her sister had seen her.

"Hinata, is something wrong with your uniform? It looks so big on you." Hanabi asks and at that moment the bluenette knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, she was doomed. (There was no way that Hanabi was going to let her get out of this without some sort of explanation.)


	5. Chapter 5

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Unfortunately, looks like the reviews are glitching on the site again. I can see most of them in my email, but if I don't respond to yours, you know why now. All reviews you submit now, should pop up when the glitch is fixed. ^.^ Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Aoda is Sasuke's snake summon in Cannon. I use him in most of my Sasuke x Hinata stories. He may or may not be IC, as I just go by the wiki description of his personality.

Chapter Five

Sasuke heads back to the Uchiha District. Oh he was going to kick Shisui's ass for this. Bad enough the idiot hit on Hinata, now he was trying to play matchmaker?

He had to be insane. That was the only logical explanation. Shisui knew just as well as anyone that things were at best tense between the Uchihas and Hyugas. His cousin was trying to play with fire. Sasuke very much doubted that Hiashi Hyuga would be amused if he found out about the game Shisui was playing.

"Oh hey, Sasuke. Nice kimono. You going out?" Shisui asks innocently.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke growls and charges up his trademark lightning attack as he lunges at his very confused cousin.

Shisui barely manages to dodge. He blinks. Was Sasuke still mad about the Hinata thing? Boy, that man could carry a grudge.

"Geez. What's gotten into you? You aren't still upset about the Hinata thing, are you? I wasn't thinking straight. I shouldn't have done that. You're right. It could have ended badly. But sheesh, calm down." Shisui says.

"I would be calm, if you hadn't set me up on a blind date with her!" The younger Uchiha snarls at him.

Shisui looks at the younger man utterly baffled. Blind date? What was Sasuke talking about? Someone was causing mischief and for once it wasn't him. That was outrageous!

"What are you talking about? I never set you up on any blind dates." Shisui says.

"You know exactly what I am talking about. Don't try to play innocent. Does this look familiar?" The dark haired man asks as he shoves an invitation in his cousin's face.

Shisui looks at the invitation. He reads it. Sasuke had won a free dinner? He didn't get why the other man would be upset about this. Wasn't that a good thing?

"I don't get it. What's that got to do with Hinata?" He asks.

"I showed up and she received the same invitation in the mail. It had to be a set up. What are the odds we would both win a contest that neither of us actually entered in? Wait are you seriously trying to say this wasn't your idea?" Sasuke demands.

He shakes his head. Shisui wished it had been his idea. It was brilliant. But he couldn't claim the credit for this one.

"No. I didn't set you up. So how did the date go?" Shisui asks.

"Shisui, that isn't the point! If it wasn't you, then someone else set us up." Sasuke snaps at him.

"Or you both just won the contest. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one." His cousin argues.

Sasuke gives him a look. The look quite clearly said, _"I know you don't actually believe that."_ Shisui noted that Sasuke always did have such expressive eyes. Even as a child, he had these HUGE adorable bubble eyes. Now they were more proportional with his face, but they were still very expressive.

"What are the odds that a Hyuga and an Uchiha would just randomly win the same contest, THAT NEITHER OF US ENTERED?!" Sasuke demands.

"Yeah. I guess you have a point, when you put it that way." He replies.

"YOU GUESS?!" Sasuke bellows and twitches.

"Sasuke, lower your voice unless you want the entire clan to know that you went out on a date with the little Hyuga Princess." Shisui says to him.

Sasuke gulps. It looked like Izumi had overheard him. The youngest son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha flails as he is dragged off into her house.

"Did you really go on a date with Hinata?" She asks.

"No! Well yes! But it doesn't fucking count! It was because of this stupid contest." Sasuke grumbles.

Izumi cuffs Sasuke behind the ears. She wasn't going to allow her brother-in-law to use such foul language. He was an Uchiha and should conduct himself with more class than that.

"Language! What contest are you talking about?" She asks.

"Owe! You are so lucky you are pregnant right now." He grumbles.

"Little brother, WHAT contest?" Izumi asks him again and taps her foot impatiently, letting Sasuke know that he was running out of time before she unleashed the might of her full fury on him.

"Some contest that randomly selected two people to have a free romantic dinner. I was sure that Shisui was behind it. He hit on her to see if I'd get jealous. But now, I don't think he did it. Which means someone else set us up!" Sasuke explains.

Izumi blinks. Someone had tried to matchmake a Hyuga and an Uchiha. That was ridiculous. There were three possibilities.

First, the "mastermind" behind this "plot" wanted Sasuke and Hinata to get together for benevolent reasons. The second possibility was that someone was trying to soothe over tensions between the Clans by encouraging two of their most prominent members to fall in love. And finally, someone was trying to start a Clan War by having Sasuke and Hinata fall for each other. She didn't know which was more likely.

"Do you have any idea who did this?" Izumi asks.

"I thought Shisui did it. But I guess he didn't. He looks shocked. So no, I don't have any idea who is doing this or what game they are playing." He mutters.

Izumi frowns. She didn't like the fact that neither of them knew what was going on. She was definitely going to have to talk to Itachi about this. Maybe he would have some idea what was going on and who was behind this. Her husband was enormously perspective after all.

"I'll talk to Itachi and see what he says. You stay safe. Be careful. We can't be sure if it's just someone trying to play matchmaker or trying to start a Clan War." She warns.

"I'll be careful. Thanks. Yeah, maybe Itachi will know something." He says with a sigh.

Meanwhile back at the Hyuga Estate, Hinata gulps. Damn it. Hanabi had seen her. She'd have to come up with an excuse quick.

"Oh um someone spilled something on my clothes. A friend gave me his spare uniform. It was that or walk home soaked." She answers truthfully, but vaguely.

"Oh that was nice of him. Guess that explains why it's so big on you. Was it Kiba? It looks too big to belong to Shino." Her sister replies.

Hinata blinks. She was frankly a little disturbed that her sister was analyzing this so much or had even noted the physical differences between her teammates. But Hanabi had thrown her a lifeline. She might as well take it.

"Yes. It was Kiba." Hinata stammers out.

"Thought so. Well you might want to go check into something that actually fits. You look a little silly walking around in something that's so much bigger than you." She says with a smile.

Hinata nods. She mentally lets out a sigh of relief. She didn't know why she had told that white lie to her sister. But she felt like she had to keep the dinner with Sasuke a secret. Their Clan relations had always been icy at best. If anyone found out that they had dinner together, well she'd have a lot of explaining to do.

Sasuke was just trying to be nice. She honestly, hadn't expected him to notice her after the Naruto Incident, much less to care. But he had. She wasn't going to repay his kindness by forcing him to endure an interrogation by her father. He didn't deserve that and frankly the results of such an interrogation were scary to imagine.

"You're right. I guess I do look a little silly." Hinata says with a giggle and heads to her room.

She shuts the door behind her. The Byakugan could see through walls. Thankfully, her Clan was one that respected privacy. A shut door was a very clear message in her household. RESPECT MY PRIVACY. That was the simple message that a closed door conveyed to any Hyuga Member, be they Main House or Branch House Members.

The Hyuga Heiress idly mused that she was a bit loathed to take off his uniform. It was so much warmer than hers. Vaguely, she wondered if Uchihas actually had a naturally higher body temper than most people. It sounded ridiculous, but they were from a Fire Clan, maybe they did.

"It even has his scent on it." She muses as she slips out of it and changes into a nightgown.

Sandalwood, pine trees, and rain. She supposed it was to be expected he'd smell like a forest. He did live in the Leaf Village after all. Though the sandalwood was somehow uniquely Sasuke in a way she couldn't quite articulate.

She glances at herself in the mirror. She didn't look like someone who would keep a secret from her sister. Hinata didn't look like someone who had just gone out on a secret date with someone from a rival clan. The Hyuga Heiress certainly didn't look like someone who would behave in such a foolishly reckless fashion. And yet, she had.

"Am I that pathetic?" She asks herself.

Hinata was training to be a medic. Her exceptional chakra control and gentle nature made her a natural fit for this role. She still went on missions with her team while she was training though. Some of her medic training included lessons about human psychology. So she was smart enough to realize what transference was.

Was it possible that her sudden fondness for Sasuke was merely her transferring her old feelings for Naruto onto his teammate? It was logical, in a twisted sort of way. She shakes her head, dismissing that thought. The two men couldn't be anymore difference. If Naruto was the Sun, Sasuke was definitely the Moon.

"That can't be it." She mutters to herself.

She supposed it didn't matter. Sasuke might be being nice because he knew she was hurting right now. But that didn't mean he wanted to be friends. Sasuke was loyal to his Clan above anything else.

He knew just as well as she did, that their Clans at best had an aloofly polite relationship and at worst were only one or two steps away from a Clan War. (That was just what happened when you had two powerful Clans unofficially competing for the top slot.)

"Probably best to just go back to the way things were before." She mumbles.

Being friends with him would be a risk. Being more than that, well that was just courting disaster. Besides, Sasuke had never even looked at someone that way before (as far as she could tell anyway.) Even if she did like him that way, which she most certainly did NOT, he wouldn't be interested.

The Hyuga Heiress feels she had come to a decision and potentially adverted a disaster. She heads to her bed. The bluenette settles into it to get some sleep.

The next morning, Naruto was heading to the training grounds. He guessed he must have looked a little worse for wear because Ino stopped him. The other blonde asks what happened. Naruto mentally winces, figuring he probably had a black eye or something. (Sasuke could be pretty vicious when he got pissed off.)

"It's a long story." He mutters.

"Is it about Sasuke and Hinata?" She asks.

Naruto blinks. What did the flower lover know about Sasuke and Hinata? Well Ino was Hinata's friend. Maybe the shy heiress had told her something?

"Um kinda. Yeah. I guess. It's really weird and complicated. I don't get it." The blue eyed man replies.

"What happened?" Ino asks.

"Well I guess Sasuke went to comfort Hinata. He says she was pretty upset about…what happened or well what didn't happen between us. She's great! I mean I really like her! But I just don't like her that way. I never meant to hurt her feelings." Naruto says in a rush.

Ino shakes her head. She believed Naruto. He was many things, but malicious definitely wasn't one of them. The female ninja gestures for him to continue his story.

"Anyway, he says Hinata felt grateful and got him some tomatoes. I'm not really sure how she knew he liked them. But the bastard really does love his tomatoes. He told Shisui about it. Shisui read too much into it. Now Shisui and Itachi think that he LIKES Hinata that way. And Sasuke was pretty mad at me because he thinks this is all my fault. That's why he was rougher than usual at training." He mutters with a sigh.

"Well if he really went after you that hard, that just proves he likes her!" Ino says cheerfully.

Naruto was far from an expert on love, but he couldn't disagree. Though it was hard to wrap his mind around that fact. Sasuke might like Hinata? Yeah, he never saw that one coming.

"That's why Sai and I are working so hard to get them together. I know you didn't mean to hurt her. But she deserves love. Maybe you can help us. You know Sasuke a lot better than Sai and I do." She suggests.

The blonde blinks. Ino and Sai were trying to match make Sasuke and Hinata. Oh this was going to be fucking hilarious. He was so in.

"Yeah! Sure! What'd you have in mind?" He inquires.

"Well we are still working on the next phase of our plan. The dinner was somewhat of a success. I mean at least they talked a little." The other blonde replies.

"Dinner?" Naruto asks in confusion and Ino explains about the contest.

"Oh that was pretty sneaky." He muses and rubs his chin thoughtfully, as he tries to brainstorm some other ideas to help Sai and Ino with their matchmaking attempts.

"Yeah. So do you have any idea what Sasuke is up to today?" She asks her friend.

Naruto thinks about it. He knew that Sasuke had a physical scheduled for today. Hinata was training to be a medic. Suddenly, he gets an idea.

"I think I might have an idea. Hinata's training to be a medic right? Sasuke's got his yearly physical today." The blue eyed man says.

"Naruto, I take back everything I've ever said about you being an idiot before! That's brilliant! But hmm, how do we make sure she's the one who examines him? I better talk to Sakura about this! Maybe she can help." The flower lover says.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Naruto demands, but it was too late, Ino had already took off running to find Sakura.

"Sakura! Sakura! I got a great idea. Can you assign who treats what patient?" Ino asks.

"Yeah. Tsunade gave me a promotion. So I'm in charge of that. Why do you ask?" The pink haired woman replies curiously, not at all sure what was going on in her friend's head.

"Can you assign Hinata to be the one who gives Sasuke his physical?" She asks.

"Um I guess I can. It's just the standard yearly exam. She's qualified to do that much. Why though?" The green eyed woman inquires.

"Great! Just do it. I'll explain later. Naruto says his appointment is in an hour. We don't have much time." Ino answers.

"Ino. What the Hell is going on and you can't just boss me around like that!" Sakura protests.

Ino sighs. She smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand. Sakura was going to be difficult. She just knew it. The blonde didn't have time to explain everything to her.

"If you assign her to Sasuke, I'll let you have the pink roses you like so much in our shop for free." She offers.

"Deal." Sakura says and heads off to make the change.

Ino mentally does a happy dance. This was going to be perfect. Who could resist a shirtless Sasuke? No one, that's who.

A short while later, Sasuke arrives for his physical. He had no idea that Ino had just meddled in a big way. He waits in the exam room and looks around in a bored fashion. As a general rule, he hated hospitals. Most ninjas did. But at least this time it was just a checkup and he wasn't in the emergency room.

Hinata walks into the room, looking at the chart as she does so. She blinks when she saw she was supposed to see Sasuke. This village was getting suspiciously small. First the dinner and now this? She was beginning to suspect someone was plotting something.

"Morning, Sasuke. This is just a regular physical. So um I'll take your vitals and that's about it. Are you in any pain?" She asks and Sasuke shakes his head.

He felt fine. The Uchiha let's Hinata take his height, weight, blood pressure, check his eyes, hearing, and the other standard procedures. He raises an eyebrow when he suddenly noticed she was blushing for no apparent reason.

Hinata blushes. She really wasn't sure how to ask the next part. The bluenette knew she was a medical professional and she hadn't had any issue asking the other male patients to do this, but it just felt more personal when she was asking someone she knew.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"Yes, I'm fine. Please take off your shirt. That way I can get a more accurate reading of your heart rate and check your spine." She stammers out.

"Alright. If you're sure. I'm not really sure how you are going to be a medic when you are blushing that much over seeing someone shirtless." He says and leans over, so she could check his spine.

"It's different when I know the person! That's all. I'll get used to it." She mumbles and runs her hands along his spine, checking to make sure it was straight.

 _Soft._ Her skin was very soft, he mused. It felt like pure silk against his back. He felt his eyes begin to bleed red and mentally panics.

Damn it! He really needed to deactivate his eyes and quick. He didn't really know how much Hinata knew about the Sharingan. Did she know it could be triggered by arousal?

"Well you're spine is in a really good shape." She says cheerfully, unaware of Sasuke's inner turmoil.

It would make sense if the Hyugas would learn everything they could about the Sharingan. After all, their Clans were unofficial rivals. But was it possible they could figure out such a… _personal detail?_

He didn't know. But Sasuke knew one thing. He didn't want to find out. He quickly deactivates his eyes and sighs in relief when he felt them go back to their normal black color before Hinata has him stand up again and goes to check his heart rate.

"Alright." Sasuke says and lets her place the stethoscope over where his heart was.

"You're heart is racing. It's like you just finished running a marathon. Did you run all the way from your District to the hospital?" She asks, frowning a bit when she felt how quickly it was beating.

She was relieved to see that it was slowing down though. His heart wasn't beating too fast constantly. He had just either done some strenuous physical activity or was nervous about something.

"I ran part of the way." He replies.

That was true. He had run part of the way. But that wasn't the reason for his fast heartbeat. He had been terrified Hinata would see his Sharingan and know what that meant. Thankfully, he had dodged a kunai in this case.

"Oh that explains it. We can wait a few minutes then. I need an accurate heart rate measurement." She says and Sasuke nods.

A few minutes later, she places the medical instrument back on his chest. She blushes slightly as she does so, using one hand to hold it steady. Which meant her hand was on his naked chest. She could feel the muscles underneath her fingertips and was having a really hard time focusing enough to get an accurate reading. Somehow she manages it though.

"Was that one better?" He asks.

"Yes. Your heart rate is perfectly healthy." She replies and suddenly lets out a startled eep as the room shifts underneath them.

It was an earthquake! Thankfully, Sasuke catches her before she fells. But the force of the earthquake was so massive, they both go flying and so does most of the medical equipment in the room.

"Are you alright?" Sakura comes racing into the room and blinks when she saw Hinata on top of a shirtless Sasuke, suddenly blushing.

"I think so. Damn that was one Hell of an earthquake." Sasuke mutters.

Hinata looks outside the window. Her eyes widen in shock. It definitely hadn't been a natural earthquake. It had been created from the shock of massive snakes moving across the Leaf, lots of them.

"It wasn't an earthquake. We are under attack…by snakes?" Hinata asks in disbelief.

Sasuke tilts his head. What was Hinata talking about? He looks outside the window and blinks. Yes, there were at least a dozen or so, giant snakes slithering around the village and trying to knock over buildings.

"What the Hell?" He mutters and flits off to investigate what was going on.

"Sasuke! Be careful. We don't know if they are venomous." Itachi warns his younger brother, once he came into view.

Sasuke nods. A bunch of giant snakes was bad enough. A bunch of poisonous giant snakes was even worse, much worse.

"Maybe Aoda can talk to them?" Shisui says.

"Maybe. I don't think they are in much of a talking mood though." Sasuke says as he summons his largest snake summon, just in time to see a building get bashed in.

"Hello, Master Sasuke! How may I serve you?" The snake asks.

"Ask your friends over there what the Hell is going on." Sasuke replies and Aoda tilts his head curiously.

"Oh…those are Orochimaru's Summons. We don't talk much." He says knowledgably.

"AODA!" Sasuke says warningly and the snake slithers over to speak with the other massive reptiles.

Itachi frowns. Orochimaru's Summons? But that would mean the Sannin was nearby. This wouldn't end well.


	6. Chapter 6

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Hmm not much to say for this one other than I hope you like the chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** I knew I had to add some drama into this. So I threw a curveball. Hopefully you guys like it and don't think it's lame lol. If it isn't well received, I might go back and revise this chapter. It does open the door to a lot of serious questions getting answered or potential hilarity though.

Chapter Six

"Why are you attacking the Leaf?" Aoda asks one of the other massive snakes once he had slithered over to him.

"We were Summoned and ordered to do so. I have no quarrel with you, Aoda. But if you insist on making it difficult for us to carry out our orders, I will." The green scaled giant serpent says.

Orochimaru's snakes stopped attacking for a moment. They were all anxiously watching Aoda and the green snake. It was one thing to destroy a human village, it would be quite another to attack one of their own. Aoda was a snake like them, certain courtesies were expected.

"I don't need to ask who gave you the order. Why did Orochimaru send you to attack the Leaf after all this time?" Aoda demands to know.

"That is none of your concern!" The other snake hisses and lunges at Aoda with his fangs bared.

Sasuke watches. It looked like talking wasn't going to work. More Leaf Ninjas were arriving and doing battle with the enormous serpents, some of which were actually larger than the hospital.

It was a chaotic scene. Jutsus and weapons were flying. Snakes were hissing and baring their fangs. The snakes seemed able to work together and would occasionally slam their huge bodies against the sides of buildings, forcing them to tumble down and cause the people below to scatter.

"Something's wrong. They don't seem to have a particular target." Itachi murmurs and Sasuke nods.

"This is a distraction." He says, fighting back to back with Itachi.

Itachi was hurling some gigantic fireballs at the snakes. It looked like his older brother was banking on the serpent's having a primitive fear of fire. Sasuke sends a Chidori flying at another.

They had two priorities here. Make sure that no one got killed by the snakes themselves or the falling buildings and to find out what the snakes were trying to distract them from. The first part was easier said than done.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto roars out as he slams his trademark attack into one of the giant snakes.

"64 palms!" Neji shouts as he attacks another one.

Sasuke's eyes widen in horror. One of the buildings was about to go down. Hinata was shoving some kid out of the way. But she was going to get crushed. He slams into her, both narrowly avoided being crushed to death by a fraction of a second.

"You okay?" Sasuke asks.

"I think so. What about you?" Hinata replies.

"BLOOD!" One of the snakes says and lunges at them with its jaws gaping open.

That's when Hinata saw it. When he shoved them onto the ground, his legs had hit the hard rocky ground and gotten shredded up good. He was bleeding. It was a minor injury by ninja standards. Their version of a scrapped knee. But the scent of blood was enough to drive the closest snake into a frenzy.

Sasuke radiates a Chidori along his body and stands in front of Hinata. That snake was going to get a surprise when it tried to eat him! That's when the snake got punched hard enough that it fell to the ground in a daze.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SON." Mikoto yelled at it and shakes her hand after punching the animal.

"Fugaku, remind me not to anger your wife." Hiashi calls out.

"She's a very sweet woman until someone attacks her children." Fugaku muses as the patriarchs continue focusing on their respective snakes.

"FIREBALL JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" The Uchiha Clan Head yells at the fireball goes flying at the dazed snake by his wife.

"Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!" Hiashi bellows.

Sakura rushes onto the battlefield and joins Naruto. She slams her fist into the ground creating a mighty crater. As the ground rippled from the force of her punch, one of the snakes gets caught in it and ends up in the crater.

"Thanks!" Naruto says as he creates a few dozen clones.

"Sasuke, I need you to fire off your biggest Chidori after the rain starts falling." Hinata says to him once they were both on their feet.

Sasuke was about to ask what rain, when he saw it. There was a storm cloud hanging overhead. He didn't know if it was natural or if one of the Leaf Ninjas had summoned it. But he could work with it.

Suddenly it starts to pour and charges up a Chidori. Aoda sees what was coming and disappears in a poof of smoke. The other snakes weren't so lucky though. They get stunned by the lightning's powerful voltage.

"Is everyone okay?" Itachi asks and slowly but surely, everyone is accounted for.

"That was too easy. They weren't intending to kill." Sasuke mutters and looks around, his eyes scanning for Orochimaru.

He found nothing though. Damn that was a slippery snake. Why would he attack the Leaf Village now though? It couldn't be a coincidence those Summons were affiliated with Orochimaru. Aoda had identified them as being the Sannin's Summons. That had to mean something.

"EVERYONE SPAN OUT INTO TEAMS AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIND WHO SUMMONED THOSE SNAKES!" Tsunade roars into the crowd, using a jutsu to magnify her voice.

The ninjas didn't need to be told twice. They flit off and begin scanning the village. In almost no time, they had scouted the entire Leaf. Yet, no one could find a trace of Orochimaru or anything out of the ordinary.

"Everyone you may retire for the evening, but be on your guard. We don't know where their Summoner went." Tsunade mutters a few hours later and all the ninjas go their separate ways, unaware that they were being closely watched by Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"Did you get it?" Orochimaru asks him and the silver haired ninja smirks as he hands Orochimaru the scroll.

"Perfect. This jutsu should prove most useful." He says with a smirk.

It was an ancient jutsu. The jutsu had been made forbidden long before he had been born. The truth had a habit of causing complete chaos. It was a truth jutsu that could be used on a massive scale.

"Who are you planning to use that jutsu on?" The younger ninja asks him curiously.

"The entire village. While they are distracted by the chaos that produces, it will be an easy matter to conquer them. Nothing causes panic faster than the truth." He chuckles darkly.

Kabuto smirks. He couldn't disagree. Every ninja village was built on a foundation of secrecy. It was what kept them going. For a village's dirty laundry to be exposed was likely the worst thing that could happen to any ninja village.

That was why spies were so critical. It wasn't kunais or jutsu that were the most dangerous weapons. It was information. Still he wondered how it was possible that a truth jutsu could be employed on such a grand scale.

"But there are thousands of villagers in the Leaf. How can one jutsu influence them all?" He asks curiously.

"That is why it is a Forbidden Jutsu, it's power is too great to get out there and be used by the general public. Quite simply, I will be able to influence thousands of them because I have enough chakra to do so. I don't need to maintain the jutsu indefinitely, just long enough to sow the seeds of discord." The legendary Sannin replies.

Kabuto nods. It did make sense. Fortunately, they had been able to retrieve the scroll without a scratch. Orochimaru's snake Summons didn't appear to be so lucky. He wondered if the Sannin was upset about this or not. He decided it was in his best interest not to ask.

"It's a brilliant plan, Lord Orochimaru. How close to them do you need to be in order to cast this jutsu? Won't they notice it, if you use such a large amount of chakra, so close to them?" The silver haired medic inquires.

"No. I can use it from the Sound. As long as I know who I am targeting. The distance is of little consequence." He replies happily.

Kabuto nods. He follows the dark haired man who was flitting back to the Sound Village. They had to hurry before they were detected. This would all be for nothing, if they got caught. Which was why he really didn't relish the idea of sticking around long enough to be found. The possibilities of what would happen after that, were too horrific to imagine.

Orochimaru smirks as they flit off. Finally, it was within his grasp. He would be able to take over the Leaf Village with ease. Once he had access to their medical labs, he was sure he'd be able to unlock the secret to immortality. He just needed the proper equipment. This was going to be divine.

"We should be able to reach the village before nightfall at this rate." Kabuto says.

"Excellent. I want to get started on this jutsu as soon as possible." The other man replies.

They soon arrive in the Sound. Kabuto idly thought that Orochimaru looked like a child that had just stolen a cookie from the cookie jar without getting caught. It was strange to see the older man look so gleeful.

He truly thought this would work. That's what the silver haired medic was thinking as he watched Orochimaru perform the Forbidden Jutsu. He watched as the strange white mist flowed off into the air, apparently being directed by Orochimaru. Things were about to get very interesting, he mused.

The next morning, Sasuke decides to go pick up something at the bakery. He didn't have time to time to eat breakfast with his family. He had overslept. He didn't to be late for training.

He walks into the bakery and blinks at the chaos he saw. What the Hell was going on here? Sasuke had never seen anything like it.

"You know, I always spit on your food because you are a bad neighbor! Your dog never shuts up!" One of the bakers said to a patient.

"That's disgusting! I can't believe you would spit in someone's food because you didn't like their dog! This is the last time, I'm coming here again." The patron snaps right back at the baker.

Things only got worse from there. Soon enough everyone was yelling at each other. Food was being thrown.

"What the Hell is going on here?" Sasuke asks the owner of the shop as a couple were now tearing into each other, something about an affair.

"I have no idea. I wish it would stop though. It's very bad for business. I want to retire in a couple years." He mutters.

Sasuke blinks. That surprised him. Teshi seemed to enjoy running the bakery. He had been doing it long before Sasuke was born. So it was shock to hear him say such a thing.

"Well I'm sure it will calm down. I still don't know what got into them." He watches the fights play out and contemplates breaking them up.

Hiashi enters the bakery. His reaction was similar to Sasuke's. He couldn't believe what was going on before his very eyes. People were screaming, throwing foot at each other, and more than a couple looked very close to coming to actual blows.

"STOP! This type of behavior is not befitting of any Leaf Villager. What on Earth has gotten into all of you?" Hiashi bellows.

"Oh you can just shut up. Just because you are the leader of a Clan doesn't make you better than us. Stop trying to lord over us. It's annoying." A middle aged woman grumbles at Hiashi and he twitches.

Sasuke winces. Shit. This was bad. This was really bad. He had to find a way to calm things down before they got worse.

Unfortunately, he had never really been good at playing the part of a diplomat. That was more Itachi's area of expertise. He really wished his brother hadn't been sent off to do a solo mission right now. Itachi would have know what to do. Sasuke didn't.

"How dare you speak to me in such a fashion? You filthy savage!" Hiashi growls at the disrespectful ninja.

"Hiashi, please don't kill him. I think that it isn't his fault. They are all behaving so strangely today. It can't be a coincidence." Sasuke mutters and wasn't entirely sure if his request would reach Hiashi.

The Hyuga Patriarch blinks. He looks to see who was addressing him. He was surprised to see it was Sasuke.

Hmm well that was unexpected. Though he supposed it was rather convenient he had been planning to speak with the boy anyway.

"You may be right. We should go warn the Lady Hokage about this strange turn of events." He suggests and the Uchiha nods.

Sasuke follows Hiashi. They head towards the Hokage office, but he noticed something odd. The Hyuga Patriarch didn't seem in a hurry to get there.

"I wanted to thank you for saving Hinata. She could have been crushed to death yesterday." He whispers to him as they continue walking.

"You're welcome. Anyone would have done it though." He states.

Hiashi shakes his head. No anyone wouldn't have done it. That building had been going down too fast. If it weren't for Sasuke's speed, they likely all would have died. Hinata, him, and that child she saved. They would all be dead now, if it wasn't for Sasuke's quick reflexes.

"I must admit that it did surprise me. It is not everyday that an Uchiha risks their neck to save a Hyuga." He says.

"I am tired of my motives always being questioning because of my last name. It's this village that isolated us! Not the other way around." Sasuke snaps at him.

He mentally winces. The young Uchiha couldn't believe he had just said that to Hiashi! If he wasn't careful, he might incite a Clan War with his loose tongue. What was wrong with him?

"Perhaps there is some merit to what you say. But your Clan has always been one that strives for power at all costs. It is difficult to trust anything you do isn't because of an ulterior motive. Still I do feel that I owe you. You saved my daughter's life. And there may be advantages in building a closer relationship between our Clans." He says.

Sasuke blinks. Was Hiashi offering some sort of alliance? There were a lot of backhanded compliments in there. But the fact that the Hyuga Patriarch hadn't started yelling or attacking him was shocking by itself. But an alliance?

"If you wish to discuss Clan relations, you would be better served to speak with my father on this matter. He is the Head of our Clan and makes such decisions." Sasuke replies.

"Of course. I shall be certain to do so. Your loyalty to your father is admirable. But I wondered your personal thoughts on the matter." He inquires.

"I hate how our Clan has been pushed to the fringe of this village. An alliance with your Clan could bridge the gap between us and other members of the Leaf. It'd be nice to be able to speak with Hinata without worrying about whether it would trigger a Clan War." He answers his question, not at all sure why he had told him all of that.

"Why do you desire to speak with her?" Hiashi asks.

Sasuke didn't know why. Why couldn't he stop talking? It was if he was under some kind of spell.

"Because she's one of the few people in this village that doesn't judge me as guilty of some unnamed crime because of my last name." He mutters.

"I suppose that is fair enough." Hiashi replies and they enter the Hokage's office.

"I'm sorry. Unless it's an emergency, I don't have the time to speak with you today. It seems everyone in this village has gone crazy." Tsunade mutters as she sees the pair walk in.

"Yes, everyone seems unusually aggressive." The Hyuga Patriarch says.

"It's the strangest thing. I don't know what is causing it." The busty Hokage admits.

"People are being brutally honest." Sauske mutters.

Tsunade's eyes widen. Suddenly, it all clicked. Could it be? Orochimaru wouldn't have stolen THAT jutsu would he? How would he even know about it? It hadn't been used in well over a century.

"Thank you for coming to see me. I will let you know if I find anything out. Thanks to Sasuke, I may have an idea what is going on." She says.

The men nod. They could tell when they were being dismissed. They head off. Sasuke towards the training grounds and Hiashi to the Hyuga Estate.

Meanwhile Hinata heads to Team Seven's training grounds. She felt she had to thank Sasuke for yesterday. He had probably saved her life after all. When he finally got there, he was surprised to see none of his teammates were there. But Hinata was.

"Morning, Hinata. Have you seen Kakashi, Sakura, or Naruto?" He asks in confusion.

"Um well they are all at the hospital." She mumbles.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. All of his teammates were at the hospital? Why? That didn't make sense.

"I don't know what happened. But Naruto said something to Sakura. She got really angry and beat him up. So Kakashi had to take him to the hospital. I think Sakura felt a little guilty." She tries to explain.

"Oh. That's weird. Kakashi is usually really late. I'm surprised he was there when Sakura tore into the loser. Hope she got him good. Honestly, I think he is a masochist or something. The idiot just loves to get beaten up." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Sasuke, that wasn't very nice and I'm surprised you know what a masochist is!" The bluenette says.

Sasukes at Hinata with an adorably cute expression. He was confused. Why wouldn't he know what a masochist was?

"Why wouldn't I? I'm not Naruto. My vocabulary includes words other than believe it, remand, Hokage, and bastard." He states.

"I don't know. You've always seemed so…aloof. You've never been interested in anyone. So it surprises me that you'd know a word that usually…" She trails off and blushes deeply.

"I didn't mean it in a sexual way. I'm just saying that Naruto likes getting beaten up." Sasuke defends himself.

Hinata nods. She couldn't believe she had said that in front of Sasuke. What was wrong with her? Something very strange was going on. First, Sakura beat up Naruto and now Sasuke was talking about masochism.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that." She says, still blushing madly.

"It's fine. Anyway, what are you doing here?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata tries to get her blush to go away. For some reason, her imagination had decided to go into overdrive. Dungeons and handcuffs were involved. Yes, that wasn't helping.

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday. You saved me." The bluenette says.

"Oh. You don't have to thank me for that. Anyone would have done it, if they were close enough." Sasuke reasons.

Aoda had come back after the battle. He wanted to check on Sasuke and make sure he was alright. He hadn't heard anything after the battle and was worried.

The giant snake blinks when he sees Sasuke in the training field with Hinata. Oh she was new. Was Master Sasuke trying to Mate with her? Hmm.

"Either way, I still appreciate it." She says with a smile.

"Oh I quite like this one, Master Sasuke. She does have such lovely scales!" Aoda says cheerfully.

"L-ovely scales?" Hinata asks as her eyes widen at seeing the massive snake.

Sasuke smacks his forehead. Leave it to Aoda to make a dramatic entrance. Great now he was going to have to explain that comment.

"Don't worry about him. This is Aoda. He's my Summon." Sasuke explains and the snake nods.

"Oh it's nice to meet you." Hinata says with a shy smile.

"And it's very nice to meet you as well. I didn't know that Master Sasuke was trying to find a mate! I'm sure you're hatchlings will be beautiful." He says in a friendly manner.

"M-ate? H-atchlings?" The bluenette asks and looks about ready to faint.

Sasuke gets behind her. He wasn't going to take any chances. Damn it. He knew that his Summon meant well. He was just trying to be friendly. But in reality, he was only making things awkward.

"He means that you have beautiful skin. Ignore the rest of it. Aoda fancies himself a matchmaker and a babysitter, I guess. Snake Summons are apparently big on the whole hatchling thing." He mutters.

"Oh. I get it. I think." She mumbles, still feeling flustered.

"Anyway, since my team apparently isn't going to be showing up today, I could walk you home if you like. I think your father warmed up to me a little bit." He says as he leads Hinata off.

She tilts her head. Her father was starting to warm up to him? What did that mean? Had Sasuke spoken with him?

"He's going to talk with my father about interclan relations. I think it's because of what happened yesterday." He elaborates and Hinata nods.

The two rub the back of their heads sheepishly as they make their way towards the Hyuga Estate. An Uchiha and Hyuga walking together was more than enough to turn some heads. Sasuke really hated the fact that no one in the Leaf ever seemed to mind their own business.

They weren't doing anything. Hinata was only walking with him. It wasn't like he had got down on one knee and was proposing to her or something. Really these people needed to get a life and badly.

"Thanks for walking me home. I hope that Naruto recovers soon. Sakura was pretty rough on him." She mumbles.

"Eh he's had worse. You'd be amazed at how thick his skull is. It would take a lot to actually hurt him. Thanks to the Nine Tails he heals a lot faster than the average person." Sasuke assures her.

"Oh well that's good to know. I'll see you around?" Hinata asks and Sasuke nods.

He watches as she heads off into her estate. Sasuke was so entranced by the image of her hips swaying as she walked off, that he didn't realize at first that he wasn't alone. Sai had joined him.

"What are you doing?" He asks conversationally.

"Admiring the view." Sasuke comments without thinking.

"Of Hinata's backside?" The artist asks in such a causal manner that Sasuke replies without thinking about it.

"Yes." He replies.

"So that's what you are attracted to? A woman with a nice round bottom?" Sai inquires curiously.

"Well it's always nice. I'm more of a breast ninja honestly. Wait. Why am I discussing this with you?" Sasuke growls.

"Most likely because I asked the questions." Sai replies cheerfully and Sasuke twitches as he contemplates firing off a fireball at the strange ninja.

Sai smiles. This was going much better than he thought. If Sasuke was willing to publicly ogle Hinata, that had to be a good sign.

Maybe Ino was right after all. Maybe there actually was something there to build off of. In any case, he couldn't wait to tell his blonde lover what Sasuke had said about Hinata.

He knew how much the flower lover adored playing matchmaker. This was going to make her so happy. And there was nothing more beautiful in the world than the sight of Ino's smile.


	7. Chapter 7

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Sorry this one is a bit late. For those interested, I finally got around to updating a couple chapters of _**Why Her?**_ (Another Sasuke x Hinata story.) Anyway, I am blown away by the amount of reviews this story is getting. You guys are amazing. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Review Response:** To answer one reviewer's question, yes Aoda can be your best friend. He's pretty much everyone's best friend, except for Manda lol.

Chapter 7

Sasuke blinks and dodges a pan that went flying out the window of one of the Uchiha houses. It seemed whatever was going on, wasn't over yet. He wasn't sure why, but when someone was asked a question now…they always answered honestly.

It seemed that sometimes, honesty might not be the best policy after all. Things were starting to get vicious within the Leaf Village and he decided to try to stay out of it. Sasuke wisely retreats to his room.

"Sasuke, are you still hiding in your room?" Itachi asks in amusement, once he realized where his younger brother had gone.

"Yes. I'm not getting caught up in that. I've already had one embarrassing incident and I'm not getting caught in the crossfire of a flying frying pan again." He answers.

Itachi chuckles. Wait an embarrassing incident? Hmm now that did sound interesting. He knew that he shouldn't take advantage of the situation, but he couldn't help but be curious.

"What happened that was so embarrassing?" The elder Uchiha inquires.

"Well I was walking Hinata back to her Estate. Sai happened to be there. He asked what I was doing, so I told him. He knows I was admiring the view of Hinata leaving now. Fucking humiliating. I can't believe he caught me looking at her and I actually told him that!" He grumbles.

"Ah so you do like her then." His brother observes.

Sasuke twitches. This stupid Truth Jutsu or whatever was causing everyone to behave this way, was getting really annoying. He really didn't want to answer Itachi's question, but the words spilled out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"I'm physically attracted to her. But I'm not stupid enough to actually try anything. She's a Hyuga. I'm an Uchiha. That could trigger a Clan War. Besides, she's so nice…We aren't really compatible." Sasuke replies and for the 1000th time he cursed this damn Truth Jutsu.

"Are you trying to say that you aren't compatible with her because she's nice?" Itachi asks in amusement.

"Yes! It doesn't come naturally to me outside this Clan. She's really gentle and sensitive. I'd just end up hurting her feelings, Naruto did. He is such an idiot. I still can't believe he didn't notice she liked him and rejected her like that. I kicked his ass for it though." His brother responds.

Itachi shakes his head. It was truthfully the first time that Sasuke had expressed an interest in anyone, even if he claimed it was on a physical level. Since Sasuke was under a Truth Jutsu, he had no reason to doubt that claim.

It could develop into more, easily though. Sasuke obviously was coming up with a list of rationalizations to keep his feelings from moving from physical attraction to an emotional connection. They were valid reasons. But it was still incredibly sad that Sasuke felt it necessary to come up with this long list of excuses.

"Sasuke, you saved her life. Father is going to speak with Hiashi soon. I think Clan relations may just improve as a result of your actions. There's no reason for you to ignore your feelings for her now." Itachi explains gently.

"You're assuming those talks will go well and that's not a given." Sasuke counters.

He knew better. Sasuke really did. He just had to ignore the fact that he was physically attracted to her. He was a teenager. It was natural to experience some lust now and then. It didn't mean he had to act on it. He wouldn't put the safety of his clan in jeopardy.

"We shall see. I do think you are worried over nothing." Itachi tries to assure him and Sasuke sighs.

He wished he could take Itachi's word for it. But he knew he couldn't. Hiashi and Fugaku were two of the proudest men in the Leaf Village. There were a million little things that they might take offense to during their talks. It would take a miracle for them to go off without a hitch.

Meanwhile Fugaku and Hiashi were meeting by the lake. They decided that was a neutral location. Neither Clan had any claim over it. It was considered public property. That and it really as a lovely day out, so why not admire the scenery?

"Hiashi." Fugaku greets him formerly.

"Fugaku." The other man replies.

Neither man seemed to know where to go after addressing each other. This was the first time a Hyuga and an Uchiha Clan head had met formerly in years. As far as they were aware, the last time it had happened was well before either of them were born. It was unfamiliar territory for both of them.

"I am very grateful to Sasuke for saving Hinata's life. I don't know what I would have done, if she had perished." Hiashi offers.

"I understand completely. I would also have been devastated if either Itachi or Sasuke were to die in battle. I am glad that he was able to get her out of harm's way in time. She seems like such a sweet girl. Perhaps not temperamentally suited to be a ninja. Hinata is such a gentle spirit." Fugaku replies and mentally kicks himself his response.

He shouldn't have said that. Hiashi would likely take that as an insult to his daughter. And insulting his daughter was not a good way to start off negotiations! What was wrong with him?! Damn this jutsu or whatever spell that had fallen over the village.

"She is indeed a gentle soul. I have thought the same thing myself sometimes. That is why I am pleased she decided to become a medic." Hiashi admits.

"Yes, a noble profession. God knows, we need them." The other patriarch says with a chuckle and the Hyuga nods.

"Well that is enough small talk." The Hyuga Patriarch says briskly.

Fugaku couldn't help but agree. Small talk had never been his strong soon. That was why he was so relieved to have a wife who was gifted at it. Perhaps he should have sent Mikoto in this stead.

"I agree. I would like to see relations between our Clans approve. They have been rather…cool." The Uchiha man states.

Cool was an understatement, thought Hiashi. They were generally only one or three steps away from a Clan War. Uchihas and Hyugas were just naturally competitive, proud people. So perhaps it was to be expected. Still a Clan War could only end in disaster for all sides.

"I believe perhaps a meal between the two Clans would be a good start. It will get our members more used to being around each other. Assuming we manage not to kill each other, it would be a positive step forward." Hiashi offers.

Fugaku nods. That was still quite a big if. But he didn't really seen another alternative at the moment. First steps had to be made. There was a lot of bad blood to be made up for.

"Very well. Where would we host this gathering?" He inquires.

"The Forest of Death. A way of burying old tensions. It seems fitting. Besides, there are not many places big enough to host both of our Clans. If we were to meet in the Uchiha District or at our Estate, people would naturally feel uncomfortable." The Hyuga Patriarch reasons.

"Agreed. When shall this meal take place?" The Uchiha muses out loud.

"Let's do it on the night of the Full Moon. I have always thought there was something powerfully symbolic about such nights. Anyway, we will need light to dine under." The other man replies.

"Very well. I shall have my Clan bring food and yours can as well. At Sunset we can all gather there and hopefully start a new era." Fugaku says and Hiashi nods, both men quickly depart.

Elsewhere, Ino and Sai were currently enjoying a romantic soak in the hot springs. Sai quite enjoyed this activity. The water was rather soothing and he did admire Ino's naked form greatly. He had made many paintings of it.

"It's so weird. It's like no one can keep a secret anymore in this village." The blonde says.

"The Lady Hokage is under the impression that it is the result of a Truth Jutsu. It's forbidden. Hasn't been used in years because of how chaotic the results can be. I am inclined to agree." The artist replies.

Ino blinks. A Truth Jutsu? Well that would explain a lot. Hmm well there were so many questions that she could get answered now. This opened up a world of possibilities.

"Do you really think that's what is going on? How long would such a jutsu last? I mean it has impacted the whole village. This jutsu must be using an enormous amount of chakra to maintain." The flower lover theorizes.

"I can't say how long it will last. I've only heard it mentioned in passing while in my ROOTS training. It's been so long since it was last use, I don't think anyone really knows what its true duration is." His dark eyes narrow in worry.

Ino nods. A Truth Jutsu. This was unbelievable. She wondered who was behind it and why. It didn't seem benevolent. To put the whole village under its control was scary.

"I talked to Sasuke earlier. I think our plan is going better than expected." The dark haired man adds as an afterthought.

"Why do you say that? What did he say?" Ino asks in a gleeful fashion, eager to hear what Sai had found out.

Sai smiles. He knew that Ino would be happy to hear the next piece of news. He wasn't entirely certain why she wanted to play matchmaker so much. But he'd go along with almost anything that made her happy.

"I saw him standing outside the Hyuga Estate. He had clearly escorted her home. He was watching her head inside." He begins.

Ino tilts her head. Well that was a little unusual. Though she couldn't say it was particularly exciting yet. Surely, Sai had something more juicy than that to tell her!

"Okay. Then what happened?" She inquires anxiously, eager to hear every little detail of the encounter between Sai and Sasuke.

"I asked him what he was doing. Sasuke said that he was admiring the view. I noticed that he was looking at her backside. So I asked if that was what he was admiring and he said yes. The Truth Jutsu does have some advantages, I suppose." Sai finishes.

"Wait, he actually said that?! No way! That's so not like Sasuke!" Ino giggles, trying to picture Sasuke ogling anyone.

It was an impossible picture to imagine. It was even harder to wrap her head around the fact that he had actually admitted it. He'd admitted it to Sai of all people.

"I know it's not like him. But I swear that's what happened. I figured you would be happy. Sexual attraction is important in a relationship." Sai smiles in his creepy way that he had.

"Yes, it is very important." Ino agrees and mentally makes a note for them to work on Sai's smile later.

It wasn't his fault. ROOTS had messed with him good. He seriously didn't seem to know how to make a sincere smile anymore. Though she supposed that was likely the least of his problems. It didn't matter though. She'd help him get better.

"So what is our next step?" Sai asks curiously.

The blonde frowns. She really hadn't thought that far ahead. Well the dinner and doctor's visit had been successful, it looked like. At least Sasuke was definitely attracted to Hinata. (She still couldn't believe that he had admitted to checking out Hinata's ass. Hell must have frozen over or something.)

"I'm not sure! But we'll think of something. I don't know, maybe we could get them to train together. A shirtless Sasuke ought to do the trick!" She muses.

"But training doesn't necessarily mean that he'd be shirtless. And why would that have any effect on anything?" Sai asks.

"Have you seen him shirtless? He's gorgeous." Ino says and rubs the back of her head sheepishly.

Sai twitches. He believed he had read about this feeling. It was called jealousy if he remembered. He was not particularly pleased with Ino calling another man "gorgeous." She was his lover! Ino wasn't supposed to be saying things like that about other men!

"I think I am experiencing jealousy. I don't particularly care for the emotion." He mutters.

"You have nothing to be jealous of. I'm just saying he's attractive. I outgrew my crush years ago. If I still liked him, would I be trying to set him up with Hinata?" She asks.

Sai considers this. The Truth Jutsu made it so she couldn't lie. She had to be being honest just now. Still he couldn't help but feel a little unsettled at her observation. Thankfully, Sasuke had never shown any interest in Ino before.

Perhaps he should take advantage of this Truth Jutsu. He could ask the Uchiha if he had any feelings for Ino. That way he wouldn't have to worry in the back of his mind, what would happen if Sasuke did decide to try to seduce his lover. Yes, that sounded like a good plan!

"I'm still not sure how we could get him to train shirtless with her though." He mutters.

"We'll think of something!" Ino says cheerfully.

Meanwhile in Summonland, Aoda was with Sasuke's other snake Summons. He was telling them the story. The snake was rather pleased with himself. Everyone was utterly enthralled.

"Yes, she does have really lovely scales. She seems a bit shy though. Lady Hinata will probably need a push. Very polite to! Her eyes are quite pleasant to look upon as well. I don't know why Master Sasuke is so shy about doing the Mating Dance with her." Aoda finishes.

"Well it is his first mating. That's probably why. You know humans. They always make things much more difficult than they have to be. Master Sasuke probably just needs some advice." Another snake muses.

Aoda nods. Yes, that must be it. He never would have thought of his Master as shy before. But humans could be quite strange in their courtship rituals. For snakes it was much easier. They did a dance and showed off their hunting skills. Sometimes they would chase away mating rivals. But it was all very easily understood.

Humans on the other hand, from what he understood, it varied greatly. Some humans had really short courtships and some took years to sire offspring. Most were monogamous or at least feigned being so. They also had a lot of variety in their Mating Dances, he had noticed.

"Maybe he's just uncertain of what to do. I could leave him one of those orange books. They are supposed to be enormously educational. That's what the toads say anyway. They are always going on about how Jirayia does lots of research for them. So they must be accurate." Aoda comments.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Let's just leave one of those books in his room. I'm sure he'll read it and then he'll know what to do!" The other snake agrees.

Pleased with his decision, Aoda returns to the other realm. Hmm now how was he going to get one of those books? He couldn't very well go into a store and buy one. For some reason, humans tended to be quite terrified of him. It was silly. He was really quite friendly, unless you attacked his Master.

Humans tended to judge a lot based on appearances. Just because he was the size of a two story building and had fangs bigger than a tree, didn't mean he was going to eat them. Really. Why did they always assume he wanted to eat them? He doubted humans tasted good anyway. Manda had once told him that they tasted like chicken though.

"Hmm Kakashi probably has one. Yes, I'll just ask Kakashi. He knows Sasuke has a snake Summoning Contract. So he probably wouldn't be as scared of me. I bet he'll recognize me to! He's Sasuke's former teacher. So he would likely be willing to help Master Sasuke in his education! Yes, it's perfect!" He mutters to himself as he slithers off to find Kakashi.

Kakashi blinks. He saw a rather large snake slithering towards him. At first he thought Orochimaru was attacking again, but this one was familiar. He sighs in relief. It was just Aoda.

Honestly, he thought the snake was a golden retriever trapped in a reptile's body. He had never seen a more eager to please summon in his entire life. Sasuke really lucked out when he got Aoda and not Manda.

"Aoda." He greets cheerfully.

"Hello, Master Kakashi. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing me a very small favor. I would like to borrow one of your books. I promise that I will return it." The snake begins.

The silver haired ninja raises an eyebrow. What would a snake want with one of Jirayia's books. It wasn't like he could do any of the positions in them. How strange.

"I suppose I don't see any harm in it. I have copies of all of them. But what do you want it for, if I may ask." The CopyCat Ninja answers him.

Aoda pauses to consider his answer. Hmm how did he word this? He didn't want Master Sasuke to be embarrassed later on, if his former Sensei teased him about needing a little guidance. It was only natural in the beginning. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

"I think it would do Master Sasuke a world of good to expand his literary horizons." Aoda says vaguely.

Kakashi chuckles. It was cute to see the snake try to help his Master in this way. He wondered if the Truth Jutsu had any impact on Summons. The silver haired ninja decides to find out. He was curious.

"Who is the girl?" He asks.

"Lady Hinata. She's very pretty. Nice scales, lovely eyes. Bit shy though. I think Master Sasuke is too. I don't think he knows how to initiate the Mating Dance. Human courtship rituals are so complicated. So I thought maybe your book would help him." The snake answers and mentally winces.

How could he have told Kakashi that?! Aoda hadn't been planning to. He didn't want Master Sasuke to be embarrassed if his former Sensei teased him about it later. But it had just slipped out.

"Thank you. Hmm Hinata? Really? That surprises me. Talk about opposites attracting. Still I can't disagree about the scales and eyes. Well I don't mind. Hopefully, the kid learns something useful from it. Though really, I think Fugaku or even Itachi should be helping him with things like this. Does he know that you are asking me for help?" The ninja inquires.

Aoda shakes his head. Sasuke most certainly did not know that he was asking the silver haired man for assistance in this matter. If he did, he might make Aoda into a lot of snake skinned boots

He could just picture Sasuke's reaction if he found out. It wouldn't be pretty. The snake suppresses a shudder.

"Alright. Well here you go. Good luck." He chuckle and places the book in Aoda's jaws, who slithered off.

Fugaku returns to the Uchiha District. He calls an emergency Clan meeting. He didn't do these unless it was really important. A possible alliance with the Hyuga Clan definitely qualified.

"As some of you know, Sasuke saved Hinata from being crushed by a building during Orochimaru's attack. Hiashi Hyuga is grateful to him for saving his eldest daughter. So we decided that it would be best to improve relations between our Clans." He begins.

There was a lot of whispering going on. Some Uchihas were hopeful. Some thought this was just asking for trouble. A few wondered if Fugaku had lost his mind? Was he crazy? Negotiating with Hyugas?

"SILENCE! YOU WILL BE QUIET WHEN I AM SPEAKING. CONDUCT YOURSELF WITH MORE DIGNITY. STOP ACTING LIKE ACADEMY CHILDREN." He roars at the crowd and they suddenly all become as quiet as mice.

Sasuke blinks. Damn his father could bellow when he wanted to. He now glad that Itachi was the heir and not him. The younger Uchiha brother didn't think he had the lung capacity to do what Fugaku had just done. Was that a requirement for a Clan Head? You had to be able to be really loud to address a crowd?

"As I was saying, we spoke. On the night of the next full moon, at sundown we will all go to the Forest of Death. There we shall dine with the Hyugas and begin healing the rift between our Clans." He states.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! THE FOREST OF DEATH?! CLEARLY THEY ARE PLANNING TO SLAUGHTER US WHEN OUR GUARD IS DOWN!" Someone screams out from the crowd.

Fugaku's eyes narrow. In almost no time at all, he was behind that person. A few hits to a few key pressure points and they were unconscious. Honestly, hadn't he just told everyone to be quiet? Why was it so hard for people to follow the simplest of instructions? It wasn't like the old days, when people did what they were told.

"Does anyone else want to interrupt me while I am in the middle of speaking?" He asks in an irritated fashion.

"No, Lord Fugaku." They all cry out in unison and Mikoto giggles.

"Wife, do not giggle when I am addressing our Clan." Fugaku whispers to her.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it. They all think you are some vicious grizzly. But I know the truth. Deep down you are just an overgrown teddy bear." She says with a smile, in a quiet whisper.

"…" Fugaku is left speechless for a few minutes.

"Father, what else did Lord Hiashi say?" Itachi asks, realizing his father was in shock and needed to be snapped out of it.

"Right. Of course. I told him that we would bring food. The Hyugas are as well. This is an enormously important day. I want everyone to be on their best behavior. Do not give them cause to reject this olive branch. It could take generations before they offer another, if ever." He states firmly.

The Uchiha Clan nods. They couldn't believe this. Dinner with the Hyugas? What was the world coming to? A few looked up at the sky, wondering if they would actually see pigs fly.

"Oh for the love of God, that is just an expression! Pigs don't actually fly." Izumi says and smacks her forehead in the palm of her hand.

"Humor them. Even I never thought I'd live to see this day." Itachi says, chuckling.

He smiles and wraps his arms around his pregnant wife's belly. Perhaps there was hope for a brighter future. One where the Uchiha Clan was not isolated. Maybe someday Uchiha and Hyuga children would be friends.


	8. Chapter 8

What Happens Next?

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter ^^.

Chapter Eight

Izumi goes to get Sasuke. Today was the big day. The Uchiha and Hyuga Clans were meeting officially for the first time in years. To say that she was nervous was an understatement. Which was probably why she overreacted to seeing an orange book on Sasuke's bed.

"SASUKE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT TRASH?!" She screeches at her "baby brother."

Sasuke looks at Izumi in confusion. What was she screaming about? What trash. He looked around his room. It was perfectly clean. There was no garbage and even if it was a mess, why would she freak out that much about it?

"Izumi, what are you talking about?" Her brother-in-law inquires in an utterly baffled voice.

"She means that book on your bed. Everyone knows that series." Itachi says, having come to see what all the screaming was about.

Sasuke blinks. He looks on his bed. Sure enough, there was a trademark orange book on his bed. How the Hell had that gotten there? He definitely didn't purchase that stuff.

Maybe it was a gift from Kakashi. But it would have been weird for the CopyCat Ninja to sneak into his room just to leave a book. Wouldn't it have been easier just to hand it to him?

"I have no idea how that got there. Must be a gift from Kakashi. I don't read that garbage." Sasuke says with a shrug.

"He's telling the truth and you know it. Even if he wasn't, he's a grown man now. Izumi, if he wants to read erotic literature, it's his right to do so." Itachi says and kisses his pregnant wife's cheek.

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO READ EROTIC LITERATURE!" Sasuke growls out.

"Sasuke, there is no need to be shout. It's only perfectly natural to be curious about such things. Every man reads such things or watches such things at least once or twice. It's just human nature." Itachi says reasonably.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" His younger brother growls and Itachi smirks, it was fun to tease his foolish little brother.

It wasn't his fault that Sasuke was so easily flustered. Honestly, Itachi didn't have any idea how the Rookie Nine were ever going to have children. They were all so easy to embarrass when it came to the topic of intimacy. He wondered if his generation had been that easily flustered and he just hadn't noticed.

"What's all this shouting about and why aren't you three out the door already?" Fugaku asks, peeking his head into Sasuke's room.

"I found an erotic novel on Sasuke's bed. But he says he didn't read it. He must be telling the truth because the jutsu is still in effect as far as I know." Izumi mutters.

Fugaku shakes his head in amusement. He knew that his daughter-in-law was very protective of his youngest son. But honestly, he was a grown man now. His reading habits were really none of her concerns. It wasn't like he was some Academy student and she had found him with that book.

"As amusing as this all is, we had best be going. We are going to need some help carrying the food." He says and heads off.

Sasuke, Itachi, and Izumi sigh as they head to the kitchen. Each was given mountains of food to carry. Sasuke was starting to wonder if they were having one meal or preparing for a siege. That was a lot of food.

After awhile, they arrive at the Forest of Death. He could tell that of his fellow clansmen and all of the clanswomen were very anxious. This was either the beginning of a powerful alliance or could possibly trigger a Clan War. Even the children were nervous because they had sensed their parents' unease.

"The Hyugas are coming." Shisui whispers and points to a group of Hyugas that were approaching.

It seemed that the Clans were more alike than they cared to admit. The Hyugas were carrying as much food as the Uchihas. Perhaps baking and cooking had been a way for them all to deal with the stress of the upcoming meeting.

"Welcome. We are very glad that you were able to join us on this day." Fugaku greets Hiashi and the rest of his Clan, bowing in respect.

"As are we. I believe there is much that we have to discuss." Hiashi agrees and returns the bow.

The Uchihas and Hyugas all quickly take their seats after laying the food down. The two mighty Clans eye each other warily. They look to their leaders for guidance about how to proceed? Should they attempt small talk or just keep quiet? No one really knew what the proper protocol in this situation was.

Somehow Sasuke ends up sitting next to Hinata. He hadn't planned on this. But he didn't think that it was a coincidence either.

He glances at Shisui suspiciously. The man looked entirely too pleased with himself and that was why Sasuke suspected somehow he had made it so that Sasuke was sitting next to Hinata.

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" The Hyuga Patriarch bellows.

Yeah, it was definitely a Clan Leader thing. Sasuke now knew that you had to have rather impressive lung capacity to be a Clan Head. How did his father and Hiashi do that? He supposed it didn't matter, all eyes were now on the Hyuga Patriarch.

"I would like to thank Sasuke for saving Hinata once again. That is the reason why we are meeting here today. For too long, our Clans have been estranged. Though we share blood ties, we have not treated each other as we should." He begins.

Hinata watches her father carefully. She knew this was a big gamble and it was all because of her. Hiashi never would have done this, if Sasuke hadn't saved her. It made her nervous that whatever happened, somehow she was unwittingly responsible for it.

Sasuke saw Hinata was just as anxious as he was. He subtly slides his hand underneath the table and places it on top of her own, giving hers a light squeeze of reassurance. She gives him a shy smile in return for this gesture that made Sasuke sure that his heart had skipped a beat.

"You're welcome. I am honored by your invitation to be here." Sasuke says quickly, realizing that apparently he might actually be expected to talk while at this gathering.

Hiashi nods at this. Thankfully, it looked like he and Fugaku were going to run the show. The two men continue.

"As my son said, we are honored by your invitation. Our family is most interested in reestablishing the old ties that once bound us together." His father replies.

"For now, we shall spend the night in each other's company. Eat, drink, and enjoy the festivities." Hiashi says and everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief.

It was only a night of levity. The Gods and Goddesses had been merciful on this day. They had expected something more…formal. Formal gatherings were the most nerve wracking. There were a million ways you could insult someone at them and not mean to.

"Daughter, you seem to be in good spirits. It is good that you are able to maintain a vision of serenity during times like this. It will make you a good Clan Head one day." He comments.

"Thank you, father. I was nervous at first. But I feel better now." She replies and Sasuke sips on his glass of wine.

"That's good. What has caused you to feel more at ease? I should like to know. Perhaps we can let our clansmen and clanswomen know. It may make things easier for everyone involved." The Hyuga Patriarch inquires casually.

"Sasuke placed his hand on mine. It made me feel better to know I wasn't alone." She answers and Sasuke chokes on his wine, quickly moving his hand off of Hinata's.

Damn Truth Jutsu! It was going to get them all killed! Things had been going so well to! Now Hiashi probably thought he was trying to seduce his eldest daughter or something! Damn it! Damn it!

"It is heartwarming to see a friendship blossom between two members of our Clans. I have hopes that someday, Uchiha and Hyuga children will be able to play together as friends. My wife and I are expecting our first child later this year." Itachi says, coming to Sasuke's rescue.

"Congratulations. Yes, it is a good sign that a Hyuga and an Uchiha can comfort one another. I never thought I would live to see such a day." Hiashi says.

Sasuke shoots Itachi a grateful look. He may have just saved the negotiations. He saw Hinata give him an apologetic look. He shakes his head. It wasn't her fault. It was the damn Truth Jutsu. If she wasn't under its spell, Sasuke was positive she never would have actually told Hiashi that.

"Thank you." Itachi says with a smile.

Shisui was Shisui. He loved women. The fact that they were Hyuga women apparently didn't intimate him in the slightest. Sasuke watches as his bolder cousin flirts with what he assumed were Branch Members.

He supposed it was logical to shoot for a Branch Member. They would be eager to marry outside the Clan. There were very few Clans that a Hyuga could marry into that were considered a "good match." The Uchihas were one of them because of the Sharingan.

"Yeah, so this monkey got into my squads camp somehow. He stole all our clothes. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it really happened." Shisui insists.

"Then what did you do?" A Hyuga woman asks with a giggle.

"We spent the whole day chasing at that damn monkey, naked as the day we were born! Finally, got our clothes back. You wouldn't believe how fast those beasts are." He replies.

The women giggle. Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly. That was Shisui for you. He was absolutely fearless when it came to the opposite sex. Sasuke couldn't believe the idiot had told them a monkey stole his clothes and somehow that seemed to work as a pick up line.

"I wish I had been there. It would have been great fun to see you prance around naked after that monkey." One of the women says.

"HALA! Conduct yourself properly!" Hiashi admonishes and she mumbles and apology blushing.

"Oh that are merely engaging in some harmless flirtation." Mikoto says.

Hiashi blinks. Harmless flirtation?! Hala had been talking about watching the young Uchiha run about naked. That was considered harmless flirtation?!

"I can see from the look on your face, you are not used to how our Clan interacts. We are a more…direct Clan when it comes to matters of the heart." Fugaku says.

"More direct?! If that was harmless flirtation, what is your idea of outrageous flirtation?!" He inquires.

"Oh that was when I showed up in Fugaku's police office one day with fuzzy handcuffs." Mikoto answers without thinking about it because of the Truth Jutsu.

Hiashi falls out of his chair. Sasuke and Itachi looked rather traumatized at this answer. Fugaku receives a few pats on the back at this because well Mikoto was a beautiful woman. Who wouldn't want her to show up at their office with fuzzy handcuffs? Mikoto smiles at some of the giggles and other gestures of approval from the various women.

"My love, I would appreciate it…if you didn't disclose such details publicly." Fugaku says.

"Sorry. It's the Truth Jutsu. He asked…" Mikoto mumbles and Fugaku shakes his head, kissing her cheek.

Sasuke decides he had to save this conversation. It was getting far too awkward. He never wanted to hear the words fuzzy handcuffs and his parents mentioned together again.

"The food is delicious." He comments.

"Thank you. I made that pudding myself. Recipe has been in our family for generations." An elderly Hyuga woman says.

"I can see why." Itachi adds, also eager to steer the conversation back to more proper territory.

At some point, the Hyugas busted out some of their instruments. Soft classical music began to play. The Hyuga family deeply cherished the arts and that included music.

Izumi glares daggers at anyone who dares to approach Itachi and ask him for a dance. Shisui was happily carted off to dance with Uchiha and Hyuga women alike. Hiashi mutters something about the good old days. Sasuke politely turns down requests for to dance with him.

"Why do you always say no?" Hinata asks.

"I can't dance. I don't want to embarrass myself. I never took the time to learn. It always seemed pointless." Sasuke mutters.

Hinata blinks. She couldn't believe it. Sasuke didn't know how to dance? But he was so graceful. How had he made it so long as the son of a Clan Head without learning how to dance? Oh well, she could fix that right now.

"I could teach you, if you want." She offers shyly.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side. He hadn't expected that. Hinata was actually asking to be his dance instructor? That was shockingly bold of her.

He knew her well enough that for her, this required an enormous amount of courage. If he said no, she'd be crushed. Sasuke wasn't cruel enough to do that to her, for no reason. The youngest son of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha could humor her for an hour or two.

"Alright." He says and follows her to where some other members of their respective families were dancing.

"Would you care to show my foolish little brother how it is done?" Itachi asks Izumi slyly and offers her his hand.

She smiles and takes it. Itachi could be surprisingly playful at times. Gods and Goddesses did she love this man. Fortunately, her pregnancy wasn't far enough along, that dancing would be awkward. She quickly glides alongside him until they had joined where the other dancers were.

"This is a slow dance. So first you wrap your arms around my waist and I wrap mine around your neck." Hinata whispers.

Sasuke didn't think that was a good idea. His body had already decided it liked being close to hers way too much. But he had already agreed to this dance lesson. So there wasn't really any chance to back out now, without hurting her feelings. So he wraps his arms around her waist.

Hinata smiles. She places her arms around his neck. The bluenette looked so happy about him complying with such simple request. He couldn't help but return her smile.

"Alright. What next?" He asks.

"Well you move from side to side with me. Look at Itachi and Izumi." She says with a smile.

Sasuke does indeed look at Itachi and Izumi. They might have started out dancing. But at the moment, Itachi had her "dipped" and was kissing his pregnant wife.

"Not sure you want to dance with me like that." Sasuke replies.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asks innocently.

"You clearly haven't looked at them in the last minute or so." He replies.

Hinata tilts her head. She glances at the Uchiha couple. The bluenette feels her face heat up in embarrassment. They were kissing rather passionately and Itachi held his wife in a rather firm dip.

Her family was far more private when it came to expressing affection in public. This was made rather obvious by the fact that more than one Hyuga was staring at the newlyweds. Sasuke shakes his head in amusement and twirls Hinata.

"I tried to warn you." He says and his voice was filled with mischief.

"You are going to laugh at me." She mumbles and is twirled by the Uchiha.

"I wouldn't laugh at you. I'd be laughing with you. Itachi and Izumi are newlyweds. They can't keep their hands off each other. That's how she got pregnant in the first place." He states.

Sasuke blinks. Hinata blushed as red as a tomato. Then she fainted. He caught her and quickly checks her pulse. He sighs in relief.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" Hiashi demands as he rushes over.

"She fainted. I thinks he's not used to the kind of affection Itachi and Izumi were displaying towards each other being shown in public. She's very shy." Sasuke mutters.

Hiashi sighs. He knew that much was true. Hinata had always been rather easily flustered. He walks over to Sasuke and takes the bluenette out of his arms.

"Thank you for catching her. I'm going to take her home. Tell everyone they can continue enjoying themselves as long as they wish." He states and heads off with Hinata.

Sasuke sighs in relief. That could have easily ended in disaster. Thank the Gods and Goddesses that Hiashi didn't think he had done something to his daughter. That would have been the end of all peace talks and the beginning of a Clan War.

Hours later, the Uchihas and Hyugas head off. Fugaku takes Sasuke off to the side. Sasuke blinks. That was rare.

"Yes, father?" He asks.

"What exactly is going on with you and Hiashi's eldest daughter?" He asks.

"She was teaching me how to dance and got flustered by the sight of Izumi and Itachi kissing." He explains.

Fugaku raises an eyebrow. He knew that was the truth. But he also knew it wasn't the whole truth. One didn't maintain their position as a Clan Head by being oblivious. If you didn't know what was going on under your own roof, you didn't tend to keep your leadership position long. (Or in some cases, even your own life.)

"And?" He inquires in such a way that Sasuke knew he wasn't going to get out of this one, so easily.

"We went on a date. It wasn't on purpose though. We both won some free dinner contest. It was nothing. Strictly platonic. I mean she looked really good in her kimono and she has a very nice backside, but… DAMN IT!" Sasuke hisses in irritation at himself.

Fugaku chuckles. Well that answered that question. He was just attracted to a pretty girl. It was normal for a man his age. At least he hadn't been foolish enough to actually act on it.

"And have you…done more than admire her nice backside?" He asks in amusement.

"What?! No. Of course not. Things are way too tense between our Clans. I'd never risk endangering our family because I found someone attractive!" He protests.

"You are a good boy, Sasuke. We shall see how this truce works out. In time, it might even lead to an alliance. While, I would urge you not to…do more than admire at the moment, in the future it might be possible. Just don't jump the kunai. Alright?" He asks.

Sasuke blinks. In a way his father had approved of Hinata. Well he had approved of her in a possible future anyway. Still that was far more than he had ever expected.

"Wait did you just…give me permission to court her?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

"I gave you permission to court her, if things go well. I don't know if they will or not at this point. Though I imagine, courtship will be difficult… the poor girl does have a habit of fainting a lot. Are you certain that she can, handle your affections?" He asks.

Sasuke blinks again. He couldn't believe it. Fugaku Uchiha was sanctioning a potential courtship between a Hyuga and an Uchiha. Pigs really did fly after all.

"I don't know if she even likes me that way. It's just a physical attraction at this point. I mean I like her. She's nice. But…it's not like I'm ready to propose marriage." Sasuke says in a rush.

"Of course. It's very rare that a man finds a woman attractive enough that he immediately proposes on the first date." His father says with a chuckle.

"…" Sasuke is speechless.

"It's late. You should get some sleep. Don't you have training tomorrow?" He asks.

"Yeah. I do. Night father." Sasuke says as he heads to his bedroom.

What a strange day. The Hyugas and Uchihas had dinner together. He'd danced with Hinata. Fuzzy handcuffs. His father sorta approved of his potential relationship with Hinata. Yeah… it had been a strange day.

Meanwhile Hinata wakes up in her own room. She looks around in confusion. What had happened? One minute she was talking with Sasuke and the next she woke up at home?

"It's alright, Hinata. You merely fainted at the festivities. You are safe at home now." Hiashi assures his eldest daughter.

"Oh. I hope I didn't ruin everyone's fun." She mumbles and feels embarrassed at having fainted.

He shakes his head. Hinata was such a considerate person. She fainted and her first concern was others. She was just like her mother that way. Gods and Goddesses how he missed that woman.

"Good night. Don't fret over it. I'm certain everyone understands. In case you are wondering, the rest of the night went off without further incident. I am hopeful for a truce or even an alliance one day. It's all in their hands now." He says as he walks off.

Hinata nods and bids her father good night. She couldn't believe that she had fainted in front of Sasuke. Well it wasn't like it was anything she hadn't done before.

She had fainted in front of Naruto lots of times. Sasuke was almost always with Naruto, if he wasn't with his Clan. He'd seen her faint before. It wasn't like it was anything new.

So why did she feel so embarrassed? She still was kicking herself for telling her father about Sasuke holding her hand. He had been trying to be nice and how did she repay him? She repaid him by nearly sabotaging the talks!

"He is a fast learner though." She mumbles, remembering their dance.

Well that was to be expected. The Hyuga and Uchiha Clan were filled with prodigies. Why should learning how to dance be anymore difficult for them, than learning how to throw a kunai?

Speaking of kunais, that brought up rather scandalous images in her mind. She slaps her forehead and sighs. Damn it. She had a crush on an Uchiha. What was she going to do now?


	9. Chapter 9

What Happens Next

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. Hmm toying with an idea of a jealousy scene for Sasuke or Hinata, let me know if you are interested and which you would prefer to get jealous. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 9

The next few days were chaotic at best. Apparently, some people really couldn't handle the truth. The Uchiha Police Force was forced to assign double and sometimes even triple shifts to keep up with all the domestic and public disturbances.

"Do you really have to go out again?" Izumi whines as Itachi suits up to go for his third shift.

"I have to. It's getting crazy out there. As the police force of this village, it our Clan's job to keep the peace. Unfortunately, that's become much harder because of this jutsu." He says with a sigh and kisses his wife's forehead.

Izumi nods. She knew it wasn't right to make him feel guilty. Itachi was just being a good ninja. He was looking out for the village. But it was hard.

She barely saw him anymore besides when they woke up and went to bed. She wanted to cuddle up to the future father of her child and bask in their impending parenthood together. A good morning and a good night kiss, just wasn't enough.

"I know. Just come to me, safely." She says.

"You know that I will. I always do. Besides, it's mostly just angry drunks and spurned lovers." He says and heads out the door.

She sighs and watches him go. Damn it. Izumi really hoped this Truth Jutsu wore off soon. The Uchiha woman wasn't sure how much longer her Clan could keep up with this. The village was in so much turmoil that it was like a powder keg, just waiting to go off.

"Don't worry, big sister. He'll be back soon." Sasuke assures her.

Sasuke had been spared police duty because Itachi had insisted someone be with his pregnant wife while he was aware. Sasuke had been entrusted with this task because well he was Itachi's brother.

"I know. But this getting crazy. At first it was funny, but our people are utterly exhausted. Shisui doesn't even have the energy to flirt with every pretty face he sees anymore!" She points out in alarm.

The younger Uchiha had to admit that was pretty bad. If Shisui was too tired to flirt, they had officially hit rock bottom. That was just who his cousin was. He was playful and mischievous. (Much to Fugaku's constant annoyance.)

"Yeah. I'm worried to. I'm not going to lie. Mostly because I can't. But you know what I mean." He says and leads her to the living room.

"So why did the little Hyuga Princess faint?" She asks curiously, eager to change the subject to something less worrying.

Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He really didn't want to discuss this with Izumi. She was like a dog with a bone when it came to matters like this. But he didn't really have a choice. Sasuke knew her well enough to realize she'd find out sooner or later anyway.

"She saw you and Itachi being rather affectionate towards each other. I made a comment that I probably shouldn't have." He admits.

"And what, pray tell, dear little brother did you say to make that poor girl faint?" Izumi demands.

"That that was how you got pregnant in the first place. I didn't expect her to pass out. But I guess I should have. She's always been really innocent. Hinata used to faint around Naruto all the time. I'm surprised she didn't faint when mother mentioned those fuzzy handcuffs to be honest." Sasuke replies.

Izumi nods. She certainly couldn't disagree with that assessment. Hinata did seem like such a sweet girl. Which was why she was surprised by Sasuke's apparent interest in her. He was getting far too flustered at Shisui's matchmaking attempts for that not to be the case.

"Yes, you should probably go easy on her. I'd safe the handcuffs until after marriage." His sister-in-law advises.

"IZUMI!" Sasuke yells at her.

"Well then again, you know what they say. It is always the quiet ones." She says with a giggle, it was so much fun to tease her little brother.

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Hinata was having tea with Neji. Neji said he wanted to talk about something. She was curious what was on her introverted cousin's mind.

"What did you want to talk about?" She asks as she sips her green tea.

"You and Sasuke. I saw the way that the two of you were dancing when we were having the gathering. I'm pleased by the fact that our Clans are making inroads towards a more cordial relationship. I just don't think it should be THAT cordial." Her lavender eyed cousin informs her.

"What are you talking about? We were just dancing." Hinata replies in confusion.

Neji shakes his head. Hinata really was an innocent. But he wasn't as naïve. He knew that there was probably far more than just dancing on Sasuke Uchiha's mind when it came to the heiress of their Clan.

First, he had rushed after Hinata to comfort her after Naruto had broken her heart. Then they had been "training" together. When the village was attacked, he saved her. Finally, there was the dancing. Something was going on and he would bet his life on that fact.

"It's just dancing now. But be careful. I wouldn't want you to give your heart to someone and then find out that you are forbidden to see him because of a Clan War. Things are going fairly well between our Clans now, but that could change at any moment." He warns her.

Hinata frowns. She knew that Neji was just worried about her safety. But she couldn't shake the impression that she was being babied. The bluenette wasn't an idiot. She was well aware of the history between the two Clans.

"Neji, it was just dancing. The gathering went well. I think things will get better. You are worried over nothing. Besides, we have more important things to focus on. We have to find out who casts this Truth Jutsu and find a way to reverse it. I don't think the police force can keep this up. There is going to be blood in the streets soon." She whispers.

"You're right. I meant no offense. I just worry about you and your well being. I still haven't the faintest idea who is responsible for this jutsu. They must be powerful though. The amount of chakra it would require to influence the whole village must be immense. We are looking at someone with Kage level chakra. That certainly narrows the pool of possibilities." He murmurs and Hinata nods.

She had thought of that as well. Was it possible that maybe another village was trying to weaken the Leaf by casting this jutsu? Another Kage. She ran through the list of Kages in her head mentally.

Onoki was old. He wouldn't have the chakra reserves. Mei didn't seem very malicious. Certainly Gaara wouldn't have a reason to do this. The Raikage maybe?

"I don't think it was one of the Kages though." He offers.

Hinata nods. She found it difficult to believe. But she supposed anything was possible. She didn't have any proof. So she really didn't want to accuse the Raikage of anything. That could start a war all by itself.

"That's quite enough!" She hears someone shout in the street and send a man flying into the side of a building.

She blinks when she saw who it was. It was Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke's older brother. It was clear that he was feeling rather frustrated to put it mildly. She had never seen him lose his composure like that before.

"Owe! Fuck you, you Uchihas are psychotic! You don't throw someone against a wall, just for hitting on a pretty woman!" The man protests.

"You were doing far more than hitting on her. The woman told you that she was not interested in your advances. Yet, you persisted. I responded accordingly." Itachi mutters in disgust.

Hinata blinks. She decides it would be best to intervene. The bluenette heads over. She really didn't want Itachi to kill a guy for being a pervert and it was clear the Uchiha was at his wits end.

"Itachi?" She asks gently.

"Hello, Hinata." Sasuke's brother replies and watches the drunken lecher warily, wondering how much he was going to have to beat the other man up.

She offers him the sweetest smile she could. Hinata wanted to try to calm the man down. Itachi could be positively lethal, when he wanted to be. He just didn't choose to be often.

Given everything that had happened though, it was only natural he would be on a short fuse. She had to find a way to calm him. Things were already tense enough between the Uchihas and the rest of the village, without adding a murder on top of things.

"I think that he has learned his lesson." Hinata says.

"I find that highly doubtful. But he is not worth bothering with further. I am sorry to have disturbed you. That wasn't my intention. It's just this is the third frisky drunk that I have had to deal with today. My patience is wearing quite thin." The Uchiha confesses.

"I think we are all feeling that way. Why don't you take a break and join us for tea?" She asks kindly.

Itachi nods. He walks over to join them. Neji watches Itachi anxiously. He knew the man well enough to realize he wouldn't be foolish enough to attack them while negotiations were ongoing. But Itachi Uchiha was a formidable ninja and should never be taken lightly.

"I should probably head back. Lord Hiashi wanted to train this afternoon with me." Neji says.

"Alright. I will see you later, cousin Neji." Hinata says and briefly embraces her cousin, who returns it.

He nods respectfully at Itachi. Neji walked off. He kept his pace even. If he went too fast, it would give the impression he was frightened of Itachi. If he went too slow, it would look suspicious. Soon enough he was out of their sight, altogether though.

"I do not think he cares for me much." Itachi states with amusement.

"Oh no! It's not that. It's just Neji isn't the most social person. Alright...well maybe he is a little wary of you. But only because you are a powerful ninja and an Uchiha. I don't think it is anything personal!" She says quickly.

"If he is skittish of me because of my Clan, then it is personal. It is very personal. But it's alright. He's not behaving any differently than the rest of this village. I do hope he gets over his unease with my family though, for your sake." He says as he sips down and sips some tea.

Hinata looks at Itachi in confusion. What did he mean by that? What did he mean by he hoped Neji became more comfortable with Uchihas for her sake?

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by that?" She inquires.

"I saw you and Sasuke at the gathering. He rushed in to push you out of harm's way instinctively. I know that the two of you have feelings for each other. They might be more subconscious than conscious now, but I don't mind. It is no more your fault that you were born a Hyuga, than he was born an Uchiha. There would be no reason to be uneasy about the two of you being together, if you were an Uchiha or he was a Hyuga." He observes.

Hinata gulps. Itachi knew. Had he said something to Sasuke? She really hoped he hadn't. Sasuke was just being nice to her. He felt sorry for her more than anything, she supposed. Maybe he felt guilty because it had been his teammate that hurt her. (Which was silly, but who knew how Sasuke's thought process really worked?)

"He saved me because he's another Leaf Ninja. Though I imagine that he would have done the same for anyone else. It's an instinct to save someone in danger." She tries to explain.

"And the dancing lessons? Sasuke has never expressed much interest in the activity before. Actually, he seems somewhat disdainful of it. My foolish little brother has always viewed it as being somewhat frivolous." The elder Uchiha brother informs her.

Hinata blushes. Sasuke had mentioned that. He had never bothered dancing. But it had been a special occasion. He had been humoring her, nothing more. After all, he had pointed out Izumi and Itachi kissing and said that he didn't think he'd want to copy them. It was just the beginnings of a friendship, if that.

"He wanted to join everyone else. It was the first gathering between our Clans in years." She protests.

"And the reason you are blushing?" He inquires with a quiet chuckle.

"I blush easily." She mumbles in embarrassment, feeling her face heat up even further.

"I apologize. I may have overstepped my grounds. I hope the negotiations will prove successful. I do think that you would be good for him. However, I must go for now. It seems our job will never end until this damn jutsu is dispelled." Itachi sighs as he hears a window smash, heading off.

Hinata blinks. Had that really just happened? Had Itachi Uchiha just given her permission to date Sasuke in some way? She looked up at the sky. Nope, pigs weren't flying. Maybe she had imagined it.

Later that day, Sasuke was grateful when Itachi returned home. Izumi was very nervous without him around. He wondered if this was just an Izumi pregnancy thing or a pregnancy thing in general. He greets his brother and then heads off towards the public hot springs.

"Nothing like a nice hot soak after a long day." He mutters as he quickly strips, throwing on a towel to preserve his modesty in case someone else happened by.

His father had encouraged him to seek out a wife. So it'd probably be a good idea if he started socializing with the rest of the village. Using the public hot springs instead of the Uchiha Clan ones, was a good way of doing that, he supposed.

That and it meant he wouldn't have suffer from more of Izumi's interrogations. Honestly, just because he found Hinata attractive, didn't mean she had to give him a royal inquisition! It was insane.

"Sorry. I didn't realize anyone was here." Hinata mumbles.

After dealing with Neji and Itachi, she had decided to go and wash away her troubles. She decided to do this in the most literal sense of the phrase. Hinata didn't think anyone would be here at this time of night.

"It's fine. It's a public hot spring. Not much use for it, if only one person uses it at a time." Sasuke says, not looking back.

He had been too caught up in his thoughts to really pay attention to who was speaking to him. He recognized it was a feminine voice. Shy. If it was a fan girl, he would have heard giggling. If it was someone who had an issue with his Clan, they would have been more abrasive. So he wasn't worried about it.

His back was towards the woman. She could disrobe to her heart's content and throw on a towel. Sasuke wasn't Shisui. While he would definitely look if someone was displaying herself, he didn't go out of his way to peek. (Of course he would look if someone was prancing about half naked, he was a man after all.)

"Th-at's true." Hinata says and seeing that Sasuke apparently wasn't going to turn his back, she quickly strips and throws on a towel.

The bluenette shyly gets into the water with him. She kinda had to. If she ran off now, Sasuke would probably get his feelings hurt. The Hyuga Heiress didn't want to hurt his feelings.

It was a strange relationship the Uchihas had with the rest of the village. On one hand, they were idolized and practically considered Gods…much like her family. On the other, they were feared and there were certain segments of the village that loathed them. (This was mostly the more…unsavory sort. They were after all in charge of the police department.)

"Yeah." He says and looks at her, once she was in the water.

He blinks. Sasuke hadn't expected it to be Hinata of all people. Oh great. Just great. If his Clan found out he bathed with her, Izumi would never let him hear the end of that. Neither would Itachi or his father, for that matter. And Shisui, would never let him live it down.

"It's good to see you. Thank you for catching me, earlier. I didn't mean to faint. It just…happens when I get flustered." She mumbles, feeling rather embarrassed at this trait of hers.

"It's fine. I'm just glad you are okay. It's kinda cute how easily you get embarrassed. But I'm worried you are going to hit your head one of these days and get a concussion." He mutters.

Hinata blushes deeply. He had called her cute. Well he had called her flusteredness kinda cute. She supposed that wasn't surprising. He had called her beautiful on their "date."

She didn't consider it a real date though. Neither of them had known the other was coming. Hinata wondered if he would have shown up, if Sasuke had known he was going to be eating with her.

"Yeah. I'll try not to do that. That wouldn't be good. Concussions are bad." She mumbles.

"Mhm. As a medic, I'm sure you know all about them." He replies.

"I'm not a medic yet. I'm still in training. But yes, we've covered them. They can be quite serious sometimes." The bluenette responds to his observation.

Sasuke shrugs. To him a medic in training, was close enough. He knew that there was some difference. But honestly, if she didn't know what she was doing, she would have been kicked out of the program by now. The Leaf couldn't afford to train people to become medics, if they didn't have the talent for it.

He didn't know much about it. But Sasuke did know that it required excellent chakra control to pull it off. That's why Sakura was a medic. When he first met her, she was weak in everything physically…besides chakra control. That had always been her strength. Now her punch could level a mountain.

"Yeah. Thanks for the physical earlier. It was nice to be able to get through one without an incident." He mutters.

"Incident? What do you mean by that?" The Hyuga Heiress asks genuinely curious.

"Let's just say some of your colleagues aren't nearly as professional as you are and leave it at that." Sasuke answers.

Hinata blushes. On second thought, maybe she didn't want to know the answer to that question. A lot of the medics were women between the ages of 16-30. It wouldn't have been outside the realm of possibility for them to have tried to do more than just ogle.

"Doesn't matter though. So how is your Clan doing?" He asks.

"Well. I can't really tell you more than that. I'd like to give you a more specific answer, but…" She trails off.

"You don't want to get in trouble for potentially giving me away valuable information that you weren't supposed to. It's alright. I get it. I'd probably do the same in your position. Neji still hate my guts?" He asks idly.

Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly. While Neji might be wary of Itachi because he was a powerful ninja and an Uchiha, his dislike of Sasuke felt more personal. Probably because he hadn't stumbled upon Itachi while he was on top of Hinata during a training session and jumped to conclusions.

"I don't think he hates you. He just…doesn't really trust you much." She mumbles quickly.

"Because he saw me on top of you. Yeah, I'd probably have a similar reaction, if I saw him on top of a woman from my Clan. I guess it's to be expected." He says with a shrug.

"Probably best not to talk about our families right now." Hinata offers and Sasuke nods.

The two spent the rest of the evening discussing whatever topics came to their minds. Anything but their families. Sasuke seemed more than content to let Hinata do the lion's share of the talking. Which was odd as Hinata was normally the introvert of any group.

She knew that he was listening though. There was a quiet attentiveness about him. Occasionally, he'd add a comment. It was usually sarcastic in nature. Though thankfully, his biting sarcasm never seemed to be directed at her. Which was a good thing, those were some sharp "teeth."

"So how are bug boy and dog breath?" He asks.

"Sasuke! That wasn't very nice!" Hinata gently chides him for those unflattering nicknames.

Sasuke shrugs. He had never claimed to be nice. Hinata was clearly the more nice of the two of them. That didn't bother him though. Uchihas weren't wired to sugarcoat things. They preferred accuracy.

In his mind, bug boy and dog breath were perfectly accurate. The nicknames were going to stay. That was that.

"He likes bugs. He has dog breath. You knew who I was referring to. So you know the nicknames are accurate. I'm not saying I have a problem with either of your teammates. I don't. I barely know them. I'm just saying that based on what little I know about them, if the sandal fits, wear it." He replies.

Hinata shakes her head. She didn't know whether to be exasperated or amused. Sasuke was apparently rather stubborn. She knew when there wasn't a pointing "debating" a matter further. So she decides to let it drop.

"What's that mark on your neck?" Hinata asks suddenly, deciding to enjoy the view.

A mostly naked Sasuke was rather exciting sight after all. She tried to keep her eyes from drifting further than the neck. She didn't want him to think that she was some kind of pervert. So that was how she noticed the marking.

"Cursemark from Orochimaru. The bastard bit me when we were in the Chunin Exams. He wanted to have an Uchiha vessel. Don't worry, Kakashi sealed it for me. I'm surprised he would attack the Leaf years later though. He must have found another body. I thought he'd be dead by now." He says.

Hinata's eyes widen. Orochimaru had wanted an Uchiha vessel. He had a Summoning Contract with snakes. There were only a handful of people who could summon snakes that size, let alone that many. Perhaps it had simply been a diversion.

"Orochimaru is the one who cast the Truth Jutsu." She whispers.

Sasuke blinks. Shit! How hadn't he thought of that before. It was probably because of how chaotic everything had been since the jutsu took root. He had to speak to Tsunade about this.

"Hinata, you're a genius. Come on. Let's get dressed. We need to let the Hokage know." He says, standing up, and offering her his hand.

Hinata takes his hand. Sasuke pulls her up. Once up though, his foot slipped on the wet ground. He fell backwards and Hinata landed on top of him. And that was how Ino and Sai found them, in that very suggestive position. It seemed they weren't the only ones who had decided to go for a dip in the hot springs.


	10. Chapter 10

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. Well that was unexpected. We have two votes for jealous Hinata and two for jealous Sasuke. So maybe I'll be able to work them both in there somewhere. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 10

"Ino, perhaps we should try again later. I think they might appreciate some privacy." Sai says cheerfully.

"Y-eah. Sorry guys! Really happy for you two. Please don't let us interrupt!" The blonde says as she and her lover try to sneak off.

Sasuke blinks. He looks up at the sky. Someone up there clearly hated his guts. Someone up there despised him with a white hot passion. There could be no other explanation for Sai and Ino's lousy timing! If he was going to be accused of seducing someone, he'd like to actually be guilty for once!

"It's not like that! We just s-lipped!" Hinata protests and Sasuke notices her face was now redder than a tomato.

Really, it was quite amazing. Before meeting Hinata, the Uchiha wasn't aware that the human skin could turn so many shades of red. He should probably start cataloging them. She had to be breaking some kind of world record.

"Uh huh. Right. You just slipped." Ino says with a wink.

"If we were actually doing anything, do you think the towels would still be on?!" Sasuke demands and twitches.

"Well maybe if had arrived five minutes later, they would be off." Sai reasons and Sasuke gets up, he could feel himself charging up a Chidori instinctively.

"Um Sai, let's let them have some privacy." Ino says as she races off with her boyfriend, eager to avoid getting electrocuted.

"Sasuke?" Hinata asks uncertainly.

"If anyone asks, we can tell them the truth. I'm not sure they'd believe us though. You alright?" He asks as he helps Hinata up.

Hinata nods. She wasn't hurt. She was just really embarrassed. First, Neji had caught them in a compromising position while they were training. Now, Sai and Ino probably thought they were lovers.

"What are we going to do, if they don't believe us?" She whispers anxiously.

"We'll deal with it then. For now, we really have to warn Tsunade about Orochimaru." He says, grabbing Hinata and teleporting them to her office.

Tsunade blinks. It wasn't every day you saw a soaking wet Uchiha and Hyuga flame into your office, cover in nothing but towels. What the Hell was going on here? She thought she'd seen everything, but this one really took the cake.

"Lady Tsunade, we think we know who is behind the Truth Jutsu. It had to be Orochimaru." Sasuke says.

"We were attacked by snakes and Orochimaru has a Snake Summoning Contract, like Sasuke." Hinata adds softly.

Tsunade nods. It was logical. She was still trying to process why they were both drenched to the bone and covered in nothing but towels.

"I have considered that possibility. I have teams out looking for him. What happened to you two?" She asks.

Sasuke sighs. He smacks his forehead with his hand. They really should have gotten dressed before coming to the Hokage's office. But Sai and Ino had distracted them. Damn it. This looked bad.

"W-e were at the hot springs, when I saw Sasuke's curse mark. That's when I realized it might have been Orochimaru who was behin-d the attacks." Hinata stammers out shyly.

"And is his curse mark all that you saw or did you get a look at his sword as well?" She asks with a chuckle.

"Why would Sasuke bring his sword to the hot springs?" Hinata asks innocently and Sasuke shakes his head.

She really was adorable. How was it possible to be that innocent and still be a ninja? Sasuke would never understand how Hinata was so damn pure.

"She meant the OTHER kind of sword." Sasuke says with a sigh and Hinata blushes as red as a strawberry.

Ah ha, another shade. He was really going to have to write these down. Yep, she definitely was breaking some kind of record with her blushes.

"I guess that answers that question. That's a definite no then. Thank you for briefing me. But I think we got this covered. I've already dispatched the teams. You two might want to get dressed. I heard there was a gathering between the Clans? I doubt you want to complicate things." She offers.

Hinata blinks. How did Tsunade know about the Clan gatherings? On second thought, she probably didn't want to know.

"Hinata, I wouldn't be a very good Hokage, if I didn't notice when hundreds of villagers were meeting in the Forest of Death." Tsunade says with a wink.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade. Um do you have any clothes we could borrow? Sai and Ino might still be back at the hot springs and that would be rather awkward." She mumbles.

Tsunade raises an eyebrow. For a moment, the busty blonde wondered what the artist and flower lover had to do with any of this. She shakes her head. Perhaps some questions were better left unanswered.

"Alright. One moment." She says, heading off, and returns a few minutes later with a male kimono for Sasuke and a regular one for Hinata.

"You can change in the bathroom. One at a time, obviously. We really don't need a scandal right now. The village is only one or two steps away from a Civil War. If it wasn't for the Uchiha Clan, we already would be in one. Orochimaru knew what he was doing when he cast this jutsu." She growls.

Hinata blushes and heads into the bathroom. She comes out a few minutes later, clad in a light pink kimono. Sasuke tilts his head to the side. He normally didn't care for pink. But there was something alluring about it on Hinata. Then again, he supposed she'd look good in a potato sack.

The Uchiha quickly heads into the bathroom. Not long after, he comes out wearing the fiery red male kimono. Tsunade nods approvingly.

"Well it's late. You both might want to return to your families, before they notice you are missing. I can't deal with a bunch of anxious Uchihas and Hyugas right now." She says with a heavy sigh and the pair head off.

"Hinata, I am really sorry about all of THAT." Sasuke mutters once they were out of earshot of the Hokage.

"It's alright. It's not your fault. But I imagine the entire village is going to be gossiping about us, by nightfall." She says with a quiet sigh.

"We'll find a way to deal with it. I'd walk you home but…" He trails off.

Hinata nods. She understood what he meant. She smiles as if to say it was okay. The bluenette gives him a brief kiss against the cheek and then darts off.

Sasuke blinks. Had that really just happened? He touches his cheek. There was a tingling sensation there, where her lips had touched him. Yes, that really had just happened.

He supposed he should count his blessings that she wasn't a lipstick type of girl. Sasuke knew how hard it was to get lipstick off of you, from Shisui. He smirks as he remembers how he found that out.

 _"Cousin Shisui, why is your face all red?" An eight year old Sasuke innocently asked._

 _"Oh that's just from lipstick. Don't worry. It'll come off." He said as he tried to scrub it from his face._

 _Sauske saw Itachi watching Shisui and shaking his head. He knew that his cousin was being silly. His big brother only shook his head like that when someone was being silly!_

 _"That's what you get for going out with a woman who paints her face like a harlot. Honestly, I didn't know women were still wearing that shade of red. You are never getting that off before your parents notice." Itachi warned him._

 _"Oh screw you. I will get it off. It just takes a little elbow grease is all." He muttered._

 _Sasuke watched as Shisui's parents came through the front door and noticed their son scrubbing his face vigorously. Feeling rather alarmed they rushed over to him._

 _"Are you alright?" His mother asked._

 _"Boy, is that lipstick on your cheek?! What sort of girl have you been running around with?" Shisui's father demanded._

 _Itachi shook his head and led Sasuke off. Sasuke giggled as Shisui got an eyeful from his parents. It didn't matter how powerful of a ninja you were, your parents would always be able to embarrass you._

 _"Let that be a valuable lesson to you, Sasuke. If you don't want people to know you have been claimed, never court a woman who wears heavy lipstick. It can be difficult to wash off." He warned him with a chuckle._

Sasuke quickly heads home. He sighs in relief when he enters the house and only sees Mikoto in the living room. She was knitting something.

Mikoto Uchiha was a classical Uchiha Matriarch. Equal parts domestic and fearsome warrior, when she wanted to be. Though people tended to underestimate her in battle, because most of the time she was a rather content housewife with a sweet smile.

"I'm home, mother. What's that you are making there?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh I'm just working on making a baby blanket for Itachi and Izumi's child. Since we don't' know if it's a boy or a girl yet, I figure just making it our Clan's colors will work." She says with a smile.

Sasuke nods. He couldn't really argue with that logic. He sits down on the couch, content to just relax after an exhausting day.

"Sasuke, why are you touching your cheek so much?" Mikoto inquires and blinks when she saw Sasuke's face turn a light shade of pink.

Was Sasuke blushing? Hmm that wasn't like him. That could only mean one thing. A girl was somehow involved.

"Hinata kissed my cheek." He answers automatically and curses that damn Truth Jutsu once again.

"Oh well she does seem like a nice girl. Though I would worry. Our Clans haven't had the warmest of relations." His mother comments.

Sasuke sighs. Yes, he understood exactly what his mother was talking about. But things were getting better and it wasn't like he was trying to court Hinata. It was just…things kept happening.

He wanted to be a good Uchiha. Sasuke didn't want to risk potentially sabotaging the negotiations. He'd be doing exactly that if he tried to court Hinata. Gods and Goddesses forbid that it didn't work out. That would be nothing short of a complete disaster!

"Yeah I know. I'm not planning on anything. But we were at the hot springs…" Sasuke begins.

"Sasuke, if you aren't planning on doing anything the phrase, _"We were at the hot springs,"_ kinda contradicts that." She chides him gently.

"It wasn't like that. I was there and she showed up later. We didn't plan on going there together. It was just a coincidence. Anyway, we were talking. She asked me about my curse mark. That's when she realized Orochimaru must be behind this damn Truth Jutsu. We were going to tell Lady Tsunade. But we slipped and that's when Sai and Ino showed up. They assumed things…so by nightfall, there are probably going to be all sorts of rumors floating around and I don't know what to do about it!" He says in a rush.

Mikoto shakes her head. She sets down her knitting and takes her youngest son into her arms. The poor boy seemed to have his first crush and he couldn't enjoy it because of Clan relations. It wasn't fair. He was likely worried sick.

"Just tell Hiashi the truth. He will know you aren't lying because of the Jutsu. There's nothing to worry about." She tries to soothe him.

"Yeah. Maybe you're right. I mean he has to believe me, now." Sasuke mutters and his mother nods.

"I'd probably head off now. I could go with you, if you like." The Uchiha Matriarch offers.

Sasuke shakes his head. Having his mother go with him, wouldn't look good. He loved her deeply, but it'd give the impression he couldn't fight his own battles.

"No. It's alright. I'll go. I kinda have to do this for myself. Thanks, mother." He says, kisses her forehead, and darts off.

"They grow up so fast, these days." The Uchiha woman muses with a slight giggle.

Meanwhile in the Sound Village, Orochimaru was waiting for the latest reports. He figured by now the Truth Jutsu was causing all sorts of havoc. He wasn't disappointed.

"The Uchihas are barely able to keep the village from erupting into a civil war. It's complete chaos." His sport reports.

"Excellent. Soon enough, they'll be exhausted. That's when we'll strike. That way I have hundreds of vessels to choose from." He says with a smirk.

"What about the Hyugas? Their Byakugan could be as useful as the Sharingan." Kabuto suggests.

Orochimaru nods as he considers this. The silver haired medic raised a fair point there. They'd be harder to catch than the exhausted Uchihas at this point though.

"If you see the opportunity, grab them. If not, the Uchiha Clan is large enough that they could last me for hundreds of years. I will achieve immortality!" He says.

Kabuto nods. Orochimaru was a genius. If anyone could overcome the limits of morality, it was the legendary Sannin. It had been nothing short of masterful to use the Truth Jutsu. It was all going according to plan.

"If I was well enough, I would travel there myself. I need you to be my eyes and ears." Orochimaru says.

"Very well." Kabuto says and he performs a transformation jutsu.

His eyes became forest green and his hair now reached to the middle of his back. Instead of being silver, it was currently a dark brown color. He had broadened his build somewhat and was wearing a Leaf Jonin uniform.

He heads off towards the Leaf. When he got there, he felt someone run into his chest. The woman started apologizing profusely.

"It's alright. The fault is my own. I should have watched where I was going. Are you alright, Miss?" He inquires.

"Oh yes, I'm fine." Hinata says and looks up at him, clearly embarrassed. _Her eyes._ She was definitely a Hyuga. What a stroke of good luck. It was early, but if he could win her trust, he would be able to get a Hyuga for Lord Orochimaru's collection!

"That's good. It wouldn't do at all for a woman as lovely as yourself to get hurt." He says with a kind smile.

Meanwhile Sasuke darts to the Hyuga Estate. He stands outside the massive home anxiously. Finally, Neji notices him.

"What are you doing here?" Neji asks suspiciously.

"I need to talk to Lord Hiashi to clear up any potential misunderstandings." He says.

"Fine, I'll get him. But don't try anything stupid. You are outnumbered here, Uchiha." He warns him and heads off, coming back with Hiashi.

"Sasuke, what brings you here and at this hour?" The Hyuga Patriarch inquires in a genuinely baffled fashion.

"It's a long story. But it's not one I want to tell you about in front of Neji. It's a little…embarrassing." He mutters.

Hiashi raises an eyebrow. The son of the Uchiha Patriarch wanted to speak with him about an embarrassing matter? Truly, strange things had been happening lately. He quickly dismisses Neji. The middle aged man couldn't help but be curious about what Sasuke was going to say.

"I wanted you to hear this from me. I didn't want any misunderstandings to occur, especially not when our Clans are making such good strides towards repairing our relations." Sasuke begins and before he knew it, he had told Hiashi about the hot spring incident in its entirety.

"Well I certainly appreciate your bravery in coming here and explaining a situation that could have easily spiraled out of control. I suppose one of the benefits of this damn jutsu is that it can clear up confusion. Very well. I shall do my best to dispel these rumors and calm my Clan." He says simply and Sasuke sighs in relief.

"Thank you." Sasuke replies.

"Of course. You should probably be getting back to the Uchiha District. The hour is growing late and you wouldn't want your family to worry about you." The elder man counsels him.

"Yeah. Good night, Lord Hiashi." Sasuke says with a formal bow and quickly heads off.

A few minutes later, Sasuke says Hinata had bumped into a man. He watched as she apologized profusely in typical Hinata fashion. His eyes narrow when he saw the calculating look he gave her. Sasuke didn't care for that look at all. It was far too predatory.

"Perhaps you'd be kind enough to keep me company, while I get a drink?" He asked.

"Oh sure. It's the least I can do considering what happened. I really am sorry about that." She mumbles.

"It's forgotten. A few bruises are a small price to pay for a new…friendship." He says and his eyes glance over Hinata's body far too long for Sasuke's liking.

He felt his eyes bleed red. Sasuke knew that he had no right to be jealous. They weren't even dating. But his emotions apparently didn't care about logic at the moment. He sneakily follows them into the bar.

"Order whatever you like, on me." He offers and Hinata smiles, ordering some light sake.

Sasuke shakes his head at her choice. It barely counted as alcohol. But he supposed he should count his blessings. Hinata had enough common sense not to get completely intoxicated in public. That was a good thing.

"Oh aren't you cute?!" Some woman at the bar says to Sasuke.

"Thanks. But I'm just drinking alone tonight." He replies, thinking that would be the end of that.

"Awe. That's no fun. A handsome thing like you, shouldn't be all alone." She pouted and placed her hand on his inner thigh.

That's when Hinata noticed. She blinks. At first, she thought Sasuke as on a date. But judging by how uncomfortable he looked, he wasn't. She couldn't believe that woman was throwing herself at him like that.

"Hinata, was it? Is something on your mind? You seem distracted." Kabuto muses.

"I'll be right back. I have to help my friend." She replies and heads over to Sasuke and the woman who was currently trying to seduce her Uchiha.

It should have disturbed her that she had mentally labeled Sasuke that. But at the time it didn't. Right now the only thing that mattered was getting that woman to lay off.

"Oh. Hello, Hinata." The woman says.

"Hello. Can you please get your hands off of him?" The bluenette asks.

Sasuke blinks. His "seductress" looked nearly as shocked as he did. Neither of them had expected Hinata to do something like this. To walk up to a stranger and tell them to quit hitting on someone, well it wasn't something a shy person would normally do.

"Why should I? He's not married and if he wasn't single, his lover would be with him now. If he has a lover, she's really stupid. Who leaves someone like him alone?" She reasons.

"Because it makes you look like a desperate slut to grab a man who isn't even interested in you and if you don't get your hands off him right now, I'm going to lock up all your chakra points. He's too nice to Chidori you, which is what he should have done when you tried to molest him in public!" Hinata says and covers her mouth in shock, as if she couldn't believe that she had actually just said that.

"Oh look. That's adorable. The kitten thinks she has claws because of the Truth Jutsu. Sweetie, your Clan isn't here to back you up now. I bet you don't even know how to throw a punch. Besides, even if you could… do you really think that your cutesy little princess routine would be enough to satisfy an Uchiha? You're boring. Your whole Clan is all prim and proper. It must be dreadfully boring to bed any of you. No wonder you tend to marry your cousins. No one else knows how to thaw that ice." She says.

Sasuke was about to tell the woman off. What right did she have to speak to Hinata like that? He opened his mouth to say something, but he was too late. Hinata had apparently been pushed too far. Even nice girls, had their limits. She punched the other woman HARD.

She went flying back about ten feet. Sasuke winced when he heard the loud thud, as her body made contact with the wall. He sighs and heads over.

"If you can walk. I suggest you get the Hell out of here before she finishes that beating that you so richly deserve." He says and the other woman scrambles, muttering something about crazy inbred Clans.

Sasuke twitches. He was tempted to go after her. That inbred crack was too far. It was normal for distant relatives to marry in bloodline Clans and everyone knew that.

"I really should have let you finish her." He mutters.

"Well I believe that his virtue is suitably intact. Shall we get back to our date? It's not very nice manners to steal someone date." He chides Sasuke lightly.

Sasuke in the coming days, would try to rationalize what he did next, in a thousand different ways. Maybe it was just because he was exhausted from extra shifts at the Police Force and watching Izumi. Maybe it was because his nerves were already shot from having to explain things to Hiashi. Maybe he was still pissed off at the slut. But something in him snapped. He punches the other man right in the eye.

"She's not your date. Stay the fuck away from her. I saw how you were looking at her earlier. The Hyuga Clan will tear you apart if you even think about it. So run off with your tail between your legs." He snarls.

Kabuto howls in pain. His eyes narrow. He knew he wouldn't get much further now. He makes a tactical retreat.

"Sasuke?" Hinata asks uncertainly.

"He had it coming. Didn't you notice the way he was looking at you earlier?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata shakes her head. She had been too embarrassed to notice anything else. She looks at the dent in the wall, still not believing what she had done.

"Don't worry about it. I can cover the damages." Sasuke assures her.

"I should. I'm the one that…damaged the wall." She mumbles and Sasuke shakes his head.

"Oh believe me. It was definitely worth it to see you kick her ass. Like, I said, don't worry about it." He assures her with a smile.

Despite his attempts at rationalizing though, he knew the truth. He had been jealous. He had been insanely jealous. That kind of jealousy wasn't normal for a simple crush and he knew it. Sasuke Uchiha was so screwed. This was now entering dangerous territory and there was seemingly nothing that he could do about it.


	11. Chapter 11

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. This is my most popular ongoing story at the moment. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 11

Fugaku shakes his head. Sasuke was under the influence of the Truth Jutsu. So he knew that his son had been being honest with him, for now. But he knew Sasuke. He'd never expressed an interest in anyone, even if it was only a physical attraction.

"I think they are quite cute together. Though I worry that they are setting themselves up for heartbreak." Mikoto says to her husband as they were doing the dishes.

Unlike the Hyugas, the Uchihas didn't have servants. They were a wealthy Clan but preferred to maintain their own households. They didn't want to grow soft. The Hyugas preferred to demonstrate their power in whatever way they could, the Uchihas in her mind were more practical.

"She seems to be a good girl. It's unfortunate that she's a Hyuga. That complicates things. It would be much easier if he had fallen for another Uchiha." He mutters as he washes the dishes, Mikoto drying them.

In his mind, Mikoto's hands should not be subjected to that level of "abuse." She had such wonderfully soft hands. He didn't want them "harmed" by harsh dish soap.

It had to be harsh. Uchihas tended to eat rather messy foods, the spicier the better. Which often meant condiments were added. Which in turn, meant their dishes were normally quite messy.

"Do you think he has fallen for her?" His wife asks curiously.

"Not quite yet. But he is on the edge of the cliff. It wouldn't take much. She seems to feel the same way. I saw how they danced together. Sasuke has never danced before. You will do things you normally wouldn't, for the woman you love." He replies.

Mikoto smiles. Her boys were all grown up now. She would be a grandmother soon. She glances at her reflection in the mirror. Hmm was that a gray hair. No, it couldn't be.

"Are you fretting over a single gray hair?" Fugaku asks with a chuckle, noting the direction her thoughts were turning.

"You see it to?!" She replies in panic.

He shakes his head. Fugaku kisses his wife's forehead. He would love her no matter what her hair color was, even if it was a ridiculous color like pink.

"Your hair color matters little to me. Though I do confess a fondness for running my fingers through it. Besides, it's the natural course of things. Our boys are men now. It's only natural." He assures her.

"I suppose you are right. I'm being silly. If you don't mind the wrinkles around your eyes, I don't mind the gray hair." She says with a smile.

"Wrinkles?! What wrinkles?!" Fugaku asks and Mikoto laughs.

"Mmm my love, it is too easy to tease you sometimes. You have no wrinkles." She tells him and Fugaku shakes his head, his wife could have such a sadistic sense of humor sometimes.

"You can be a cruel woman." He mutters and Mikoto shakes her head, snuggling into his arms.

He was just so much fun to tease. Fugaku had always been so proper. It was enjoyable to pull his leg now and then. She smiles and looks out the window, seeing some of the younger members of the Clan playing some sort of game in the streets.

It didn't seem to have any particular rules. There was a ball involved. But she couldn't tell who was on whose team. Perhaps they were competing individually. But mostly, they were just children, being children.

"I miss those days, when everything was so simple." She whispers.

"I do as well. But unfortunately, we are adults now and must act like it. Occasionally." He states and gives her backside a firm swat before striding off, as his wife chases him.

Shisui blinks when he walks into the house. Mikoto was chasing Fugaku. That was weird. The Uchiha Patriarch looked entirely too pleased with himself. He files this firmly under the, _I Don't Want to Know Category._

"Fugaku, this came for you in the mail. It's from Lord Hiashi." He says.

"Oh. Thank you, Shisui." Fugaku says and takes the scroll, reading it quickly.

 **Dear Fugaku,**

 **I think it is best we talk about the best way to move our Clans forward. A thought has occurred to me. I wish to see if you are of similar mind. You may name a time and place that is convenient to you, to meet.**

 **Awaiting Your Answer, Lord Hiashi of the Hyuga Clan.**

"That's odd. He wants to meet." He murmurs.

"It's probably about the hot springs." Mikoto muses out loud and Fugaku gives her a quizzical look.

"It's a very long story." She says and rubs the back of her head sheepishly, causing Fugaku to wonder if he even wanted to know.

He decides he doesn't want to know. The middle aged man rubs his chin thoughtfully. He would have to choose a location and time carefully. He did not want to give Hiashi a power advantage, but he also didn't want to make the other man uncomfortable.

"How about the public training grounds?" Mikoto suggests.

"Yes, that will have to do. I wonder what is on his mind." Her husband says and sends a reply, hoping that something good would come out of the meeting.

Meanwhile Hinata was not having a very good day. Ino had cornered her. Her best friend was interrogating her in ways that would make even Ibiki blush. Once Ino had a new piece of gossip in her hands, she was like a dog at a bone. The woman just wouldn't give up.

"It was an accident. We slipped. That's all. He's not my lover!" She protests for the 1000th time that day.

Honestly, she shouldn't have to protest this much. The Truth Jutsu should make it obvious that she was telling the truth. Her friend should drop the issue and move on. But Ino was bound and determined to embarrass her, it seemed.

"I know it was an accident. But what were you two doing together in the hot springs, in the first place. You were both alone!" The blonde says as if that last part proved her conspiracy theory.

"Sauske was using the public hot springs. I showed up after he did. They are PUBLIC. So he didn't send me away. Nothing happened!" The Hyuga Heiress insisted, hoping that this time Ino would just drop the matter.

Hinata was being difficult. That was annoying. But Ino had never been one to shy away from a challenge. (You couldn't date Sai, if you were.) So she wasn't going to give up that easily. She decided a change in tactics was in order to get the results she wanted.

"But you wanted something to happen?" Ino asks.

"Yes. Wait, I mean no. I don't know!" Hinata replies with a blush and Ino smirks victoriously.

Now she was finally getting somewhere. Hinata was just really shy. Thankfully, Hinata had her for a friend. Ino was going to help her friend get over her bashfulness and finally get a guy that actually noticed her.

It was odd. Sasuke had never noticed anyone else before. But he seemed to be into the quietest girl of their generation. Maybe that was part of the attraction. He was clearly used to girls throwing themselves at him.

"Hinata, you are all over the place. Let's go through this calmly and rationally." Ino offers.

"Calmly and rationally? That would be a first, my love." Sai says with a chuckle as he heads back over to the girls, carrying their lunch.

Ino shoots Sai a dirty look. Comments like that were not helping. Hinata was already skittish enough as it was.

"What do you mean?" Hinata inquires cautiously.

"Well we can make a list of pros and cons to your being with Sasuke." Ino says cheerfully.

Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly. Love didn't work that way. You couldn't just make a couple lists and decide if it would work out that way. Love was intuitive. You couldn't really explain it. You just knew when you had found it.

"I don't think that will work. Love isn't some math equation." Hinata protests.

"Well it can't hurt, can it? Sometimes writing your thoughts down can be very therapeutic." Her friend argues.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. She decides to go along with Ino's crazy plan. The blonde would never let her know a moment's peace otherwise.

"Alright. But can we not do this with Sai here? That's embarrassing." She mumbles with a blush.

"Okay. I'll see you later." Ino says and kisses her lover, before the artist heads off…muttering something about wanting to finish up a painting anyway.

Ino smiles as she watches him walk off. Sai was absolutely gorgeous. She hated to see him go, but loved to watch him leave.

"Alright. So I guess we should start with your concerns about a relationship and then go to the positives." She offers.

"Obviously our Clans haven't always gotten along." Hinata mumbles.

"Alright. I'll write that down. What else?" Ino prods her friend gently.

Hinata blinks. Well she had never really thought much beyond her family. That was really the main reason. Other than him not being interested.

"I don't think he likes me that way." Hinata says in a rush.

"Oh I'm pretty sure he does. I doubt Sasuke would bathe with just anyone. He's a pretty private person. He saved you from getting crushed to death and comforted you after Naruto…you know." Ino replies.

Hinata sighs. She didn't need to be reminded of that incident. Oddly enough, she hadn't thought of Naruto in awhile. Not since all this Truth Jutsu craziness started. But she knew she had to focus on giving Ino an answer.

"They were public hot springs. It's not like he could stop me. I imagine he would have saved anyone. He's not the type to watch someone die, if he can do something about it." The bluenette counters Ino's arguments in what she perceives as being a highly effective way.

"What about your date with him?" Ino asks slyly.

"How did you know about that?" Hinata demands.

"Oh um…small village? You know word gets around. And Sai and I might have set you two up." She whispers the last part and mentally curses the very inconvenient Truth Jutsu.

Hinata blinks. She probably should have known. Ino fancied herself to be quite an expert on love. But she never figured the blonde would meddle in such a direct way.

"I can't believe you did that! I know you were just trying to help. But please, don't do anything like that again without my permission!" Hinata pleads.

"Alright. I'm sorry. I just wanted to help. I didn't want to see my best friend be so sad. That's all. Onto the advantages!" She says cheerfully.

Hinata shakes her head. Ino was Ino. She hoped her friend would keep her word, but she felt like the flower lover would like be meddling in her "relationship" with Sasuke again.

"He's kind in a subtle way. He sought me out after what happened with Naruto. He didn't have to do that. Oh and he listens to me." She adds as an afterthought.

Ino writes those things down. Those were good things. She was hoping for something a little more juicy though. She gestures for Hinata to go on.

"He's v-ery attractive and smart." She mumbles with a blush.

Ah ha! That was much more promising. For the next hour or so, Ino badgered Hinata into opening up about her feelings for Sasuke.

Unbeknownst to the two women, they weren't the only ones discussing Sasuke and Hinata. Elsewhere, Fugaku Uchiha and Hiashi Hyuga were meeting to discuss that very topic. Though the Uchiha Patriarch didn't know that yet.

"Thank you for agreeing to see me so quickly. I know that as a Clan Head, your time is very valuable." Hiashi greets the other man respectfully.

"Of course. What is it you wish to speak about?" He inquires.

Hiashi frowns. He didn't know how to address this issue tactfully. He was a Clan Head, not a matchmaker. But he still had to try.

"I've noticed that Sasuke and Hinata seem to be growing closer. I wanted your thoughts on the matter." He says tactfully.

It was Fugaku's turn to frown. He wasn't sure how to answer that question. It was one that called for extreme caution. The Hyuga and Uchiha Clans relations were still distant at best.

"I would…be inclined to agree with that assessment." He says.

"Do you approve of it?" The Hyuga Patriarch decides that it would be best to question the other man more directly.

Sometimes there were benefits to being under a Truth Jutsu. This was one of those times. Normally, he was certain someone of Fugaku's intelligence, could successful evade a question. That was not the case now though.

"She seems like a good match. My only concern would be how our Clans would handle such a union, if they did indeed marry. Sasuke is not the sort of man that chases after every pretty face he sees. That is his cousin Shisui, not him." Fugaku offers.

"Yes, I am aware of Shisui's flirtatious nature. I have witnessed it myself. I am glad that this is not the case with Sasuke." Hiashi replies with a chuckle.

Hiashi was surprised that Fugaku did seem to be tentatively approving the match. He had not foreseen this. Hmm, careful consideration would need to be given. He wished he had more time to formulate a response. Unfortunately, he would have to act quickly.

"Perhaps we should see if their feelings grow, when they spend more time together. We could speak to the Hokage. Get them assigned on a mission together." Hiashi suggests.

Fugaku blinks. Was Hiashi condoning the match? Well he was at least open to the possibility.

"And you would trust him, with her…alone on a mission?" He inquires.

"He's protected her once. Sasuke is a smart boy. He knows if he upsets her, it could trigger a Clan War. I also trust he'll conduct himself properly. You did say he was nothing like his more outrageous cousin." The Hyuga Patriarch replies.

"That is true. Yes, let's go discuss this with the Hokage." He agrees and heads off with the other Clan Head.

A few hours later, Sasuke hisses in pain. He had innocently been minding his own business, heading to the market to pick up a few things. That's when a GLASS bottle went flying and smashed into his arm.

"YOU CHEATER! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH THE BABYSITTER!" A woman cries out in outrage.

"Well maybe if you actually showed me some affection, I wouldn't have to seek it elsewhere!" The man roared back.

Sasuke twitches. He was getting really tired of this. He knew he'd have to break this one up. If they were throwing glass bottles around, it was necessary.

"Both of you, stop it. While I can certainly sympathize with her wanting to punish you, I can't allow you to throw glass bottles out in the middle of a crowded street. You missed him and got me. What if it had been a child or an elderly person?" Sasuke demands.

"I'm deeply sorry! My wife is not thinking clearly. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt." The man says in a rush.

"You two should get divorced or go seek counseling. But if I see you throwing things in the street again, I'm going to arrest both of you. Oh and my Clan really doesn't like adulterers. So trust me when I say, you don't want that to happen." Sasuke hisses in irritation.

"I didn't mean to hit you. I meant to get him. But you're right. I should punish him in private." She says as she drags her husband off.

Sasuke groans. He sighs and lifts up the sleeve of his shirt. The glass had gotten him damn good. He was bleeding badly enough that his white sleeve was turning red. He knew that there was probably pieces of broken glass stuck into his skin. He was going to need to see a medic.

Perfect. Just what he wanted to do. He wanted to spend half the day in the emergency room, dealing with giggly medics. He looks up at the sky as if to ask, why him?

"I guess I better get this over with." He mutters and heads to the hospital to get his arm looked at.

"Can I see a medic? Some idiot chucked a glass bottle into the street and I got hit with it." He explains at the front desk.

The woman blinks. Yes, his sleeve was now blood red. Damn. He must have gotten nailed good.

"Of course. One moment and I'll call someone to attend to you. How long ago did this happen?" She asks.

"About five minutes or so." He says with a sigh and waits.

A few minutes later, Hinata comes out. Her eyes widen when she takes in Sasuke's appearance. She gestures for him to follow her into the backroom for treatment.

"I'm going to run a chakra scan to see, if any of the glass embedded itself into your skin. Would you mind taking your shirt off or rolling up your sleeve?" She asks.

Sasuke shrugs. He tosses off the shirt. It wasn't like he was ever going to be able to wear it again anyway. It was pure white. Now one sleeve would forever be red or at least pink. It looked ridiculous.

She blushes. Hinata tries not to stare, but that was difficult. Idly, she mused this was actually the third time she'd seen him shirtless. This was likely a privilege that many other women couldn't claim.

"This will only take a minute." She tells him and has him place his arm the machine and looks at the monitor.

Sasuke nods. He'd rather wait a minute and know about any shards now, than go home early and find out he had some glass stuck in his skin later. That would just be annoying.

"You got lucky. It looks like none sunk your skin. They only cut you. It's a lot of blood, but it's superficial more than anything. I can patch you up, pretty fast." She says with a sweet smile.

"Great." He replies.

He watches as Hinata's hands glowed with the green chakra that indicated she was using medical jutsus. He never had the patience for it himself. Sasuke did regret somewhat that his chakra was better at destroying things, than fixing them.

The Uchiha was sure that having such a beautiful medic, likely made for more docile patients. Speaking of which, maybe one of these days they could _play doctor_ in the more fun way.

Her medic uniform could be fun, if it was altered slightly. For example, if she lowered the neckline a bit and turned the pants into shorts…yeah that'd be a good start. Hinata had great legs and cleavage. She might as well show them off more.

"There you go! You're all set." She says, still blushing.

"Thanks. What would I do without you to take care of me? It's just getting worse Hinata. This time it was a couple fighting about a husband's infidelity. Thankfully, the bottle hit me and not someone more vulnerable. But what are we going to do, when they start throwing things that are more lethal than glass?" He asks.

"Another medic would take care of you. I know what you mean. every day it gets worse. I don't know how the Uchiha Clan is keeping pace with this as well as they are." She admits.

Sasuke sighs. The truth was, the Clan was being stretched well past their limits. Sure, most of them could handle a double or triple shift once in awhile. But this was going on too long. Even their strongest members were beginning to show signs of exhaustion.

He was damn sure he had bags under his eyes by this point. He knew that Itachi did. Even Shisui wasn't his usual playful self. The entire Uchiha Clan was at their wit's end.

"We aren't." Sasuke admits.

Hinata sighs and nods sympathetically. It was just then that she noticed the bags under his eyes. Sauske was exhausted. His whole Clan probably was.

"Maybe I can ask my father if some of our people can help out. It's not fair to make one family shoulder this big a burden. Besides, it'd be good for them to all get used to working together anyway." She suggests.

"Maybe. I'll talk to my father about it. Our Clan is very proud. I don't know if they'd accept the help even if it was offered freely." He replies with a heavy sigh.

The Hyugas and Uchihas had to be the most stubborn Clans in all of the Leaf Village. Perhaps in a way, that was the real reason why no one had ever taken the first steps towards a reconciliation before. Both were just too proud to do so.

"And I'll speak to my father about it as well. Don't worry. This will all work out…somehow." Hinata says.

"Do you really believe that?" Sasuke asks in amusement.

"I don't know. But it sounds like something that should be said at a time like this and I'm a little distracted at the moment. It's really hard to concentrate." The Hyuga Heiress answers.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He wondered what was making it hard for Hinata to concentrate. Unlike Naruto, she had always seemed a fairly focus person. She had received high marks on her academic tests at the Academy.

"What is making it hard for you to focus?" He asks.

"I don't want to say. But this Truth Jutsu will make me. It's so embarrassing. But you are." She mumbles, blushing deeply.

He tilts his head. Sasuke didn't get it. What did he have to do with anything. He decides to ask. Sometimes there were advantages to the Truth Jutsu, even if it was really annoying most of the time.

"Why am I making it difficult for you to concentrate? Are you that worried about my arm? You said it was all fixed." Sasuke inquires in a slightly baffled tone of voice.

"Oh I'm not worried about your injuries. I'm sorry you got hurt. But I already healed you. You will be fine. It's the fact that you are shirtless that is making it difficult to concentrate." She answers in a rush.

Sasuke was about to comment on that, when Sakura came into the room. She looked surprised to see Sasuke there, but continues on anyway.

"Oh Sasuke. It's a good thing you are here. You and Hinata are supposed to head to Tsunade's office right now. She has an important mission for the both of you." Sakura says.

"That's…odd. Alright." Sasuke says and heads out the door with Hinata to see Tsunade.


	12. Chapter 12

What Happens Next?

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 12

"Why is it every time I see you two, at least one of you is half naked?" Tsunade asks with amusement when Hinata and Sasuke arrive in their office.

"It's a long story. I was out at the market. A married couple was fighting. The woman threw a glass bottle and it hit my arm. It was bleeding profusely. So I went to the hospital. Hinata treated it. It was easier to treat without my bloodied sleeve in the way and then Sakura came in. Didn't want to keep you waiting." Sasuke explains in a rush, trying to save Hinata from further embarrassment.

Tsunade shakes her head in amusement. She knew that he was telling the truth for obvious reasons. Still it was funny. Oh well, if they wanted to _play doctor_ , let them. She couldn't outright forbid such a relationship and it might even help improve relations between the Clans.

"Very well. I suppose it's a good thing you two are becoming so comfortable around each other. This mission will require you to work closely together. A powerful criminal ninja has been spotted in _Eros._ " She explains.

"You w-ant us to go there?!" Hinata asks and blushes redder than…well actually Sasuke didn't know that shade, but it was really, really red.

He was surprised that apparently Hinata had heard of _Eros._ To put it mildly, it was hotel that catered exclusively to ninjas. This was particularly true for ninja couples. Some of which could be far more adventurous than civilians.

"How do you know about _Eros?_ " Sasuke asks the bluenette, genuinely curious how his innocent Hinata knew about such a place.

"Probably the s-ame way you do." She stammers and blushes such a deep shade of red, that Sasuke had no name for it..

He was overwhelmed with the impulse to pull her into his arms. Sasuke wanted to let her know that it was okay, even natural to be curious about such things. He knew he couldn't though. Tsunade was right there. Besides, Hinata would likely only become even more embarrassed if he did so.

"Anyway, I know it's a bit exotic." The busty blonde continues explaining their mission.

"Exotic is putting it rather mildly." Sasuke mutters and Tsunade gives him a dirty look that told him to shut up, so she could finish.

Sasuke wasn't an idiot. He wisely shut up. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of her legendary temper. No one with any sense of self preservation did.

"You would be posing as a couple and expected to share a room. But I have every confidence that you are mature enough to handle this undercover assignment." She finishes.

"Would this be a capture or kill mission?" Hinata asks softly.

"Preferably capture, but if necessary you have my permission to do what needs to be done. The man is page 28 in the Bingo Book. That should tell you all you need to know about him." She states.

Sasuke looks at Hinata. He really wasn't sure if someone who got flustered over the sight of a man shirtless, was the best choice for this mission. She was just so innocent. The fact that Hinata knew about this place at all was surprising enough. Still he can't imagine her actually going there.

Could she really do it, Hinata wonders. The bluenette looks at Sasuke. Could she actually share a room with him and not embarrass herself? She'd already admitted to being distracted by him being shirtless. He probably thought she was some kind of pervert by now.

"If Sasuke's okay with it, I am." She says, summoning up all her courage to do so.

If he had been Shisui, he would have made flirtatious comment. Probably something like, _"Of course I'm okay with sharing a room with a beautiful woman."_ If he was Itachi, before he fell for Izumi, he would have said something smooth. But Sasuke didn't want to risk blowing this, so he just nodded his consent.

"Excellent. We don't know how long this mission will take. You will set off tomorrow. Tonight you can pack and inform your families." She says with a wave of her hand, dismissing them.

Tsunade shakes her head, remembering how she got into this. She couldn't believe it. The two heads of the largest Clans were attempting to play matchmaker.

 _"Thank you, for agreeing to see us so swiftly." Hiashi greeted her politely and Fugaku nods._

 _"What is this about? I must admit that I've never had the leader of the Uchihas and Hyugas want to meet with me at the same time." She asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter._

 _"We would like for you to assign Hinata and Sasuke a mission together." Fugaku states._

 _She blinked. They wanted her to assign Sasuke and Hinata a mission together? But why? That didn't make any sense. Usually, Hyugas and Uchihas would request not to be assigned together. What in the world was going on here?_

 _"Why?" She asked simply, somehow managing to maintain her composure._

 _"We believe that they have feelings for each other and such a match would have long term benefits to both Clans, if it was a happy one." Hiashi replied._

 _She shook her head as if to dispel a strange daydream. This couldn't actually be happening, could lit? Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha were essentially asking her to set Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga up on a blind date, under the pretense of it being a mission?_

 _"I understand why this situation must look very confusing from the outside. But we do believe it would be in the best interests of our Clans and of the village as a whole." The Uchiha Patriarch continued._

 _"Confusing is putting it mildly. Usually your Clans request not to be paired with each other, despite the advantages such squads would have on missions. This is certainly a first. But I suppose, I can humor you. We will see if anything comes of it. But if they find out that you were meddling in their love lives, you are on your owns. I had nothing to do with it." She put her foot down firmly._

 _Tsunade was not going to get caught up in some teenage drama. The blonde conceded that the two men did have a point. A marriage between two members of their Clans would likely go a long way towards soothing tensions. This was especially so because they were two such high profile members. But still, it was playing with fire. She couldn't say that she liked it._

 _"Of course, Lady Hokage." Both men agreed quickly._

 _"Good. I'm not sure how you two came up with this idea in the first place. But I wish you luck. I have had it with this Cold War going on between your Clans. This has to end. You are all Leaf Villagers first and Clan members second." Tsunade decided to remind them of that fact._

 _They nod. Tsunade sighed as she dismissed them. She knew they were humoring her. If it came down to it, they'd likely both support their Clan over the Leaf. That thought secretly terrified her. But she knew there was nothing she could do about it at the moment._

"So I'll see you tomorrow." Sasuke whispers to Hinata as they leave the Hokage's office.

"Yes. I'm not really sure how my father will feel about me going to a place like that though." She mumbles.

"It's a mission. He'll understand. If he has that big of an issue with it, he can speak to Lady Tsunade about it. I doubt even he is stubborn enough to argue with her." Sasuke says and offers Hinata a smile, hoping to soothe her nerves.

She nods and heads off. Sasuke heads off in the opposite direction. Truthfully, even he had some doubts about how his family was going to react to this.

He really hated the Truth Jutsu sometimes. The members of his immediate family, all knew he was attracted to her. Sasuke wouldn't put it past them to think he requested this mission. He hadn't. But he wouldn't blame them for thinking that. As inconvenient as it was, it was a logical assumption.

"Mother, father, I'm home." Sasuke says as he walks into his house.

"Sasuke, why are you shirtless?" Mikoto asks in confusion.

He sighs. It was a very long story. He decides to give the honest, though short version.

"A married couple were fighting in the market. One threw a glass bottle. It hit me. So I went to the hospital and got treated. The shirt was too bloodied to bother saving. It was a white shirt. Figured it was better to walk around this way than in clothes covered in blood." He explains.

"Well that makes sense." Fugaku says.

"Yeah. I have to leave for a mission tomorrow. Going undercover to catch a criminal ninja in the Bingo Book." His son says.

Mikoto raises an eyebrow when she saw her husband smirk. Hmm what was he up to? He'd been plotting something without her knowing. She'd find out later.

"Alright. Be safe, baby." She says and kisses his forehead.

"Mother, I'm not a baby." Sasuke protests the nickname and Mikoto shakes her head in amusement.

"You will always be my baby, no matter how old you are. When you have children, someday you will understand." She says with a small smile.

Fugaku nods. That day might be coming sooner than his beloved wife might think. He was confident that this mission would do the trick. He knew teenagers. Put them alone together and nine times out of ten, after much awkwardness, they would act on their attraction.

"Anyway, I should go pack. Night, mother. Night, father. We don't know how long this mission will be. So don't worry." He says as he heads off to his room.

"Did he just tell me not to worry?" Mikoto asks in amusement.

"I believe he did. Foolish boy, he should know that a mother will always worry about their child." He chuckles and wraps his arms around his beautiful wife.

"Mhm and you are equally foolish. I saw that smirk. Fugaku Uchiha, what did you do?" She demands to know as she leans into his hold.

Fugaku rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He wasn't entirely sure if Mikoto would approve of his meddling in such a fashion. But he knew that the Truth Jutsu would pull the answer from him anyway.

"Hiashi and I asked the Hokage to assign him and Hinata mission together. We believe that this will encourage them to act on their feelings and would help to bring our Clans closer together." He replies.

Mikoto blinks. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but that certainly hadn't been it. She had never known her very practical husband to meddle in anyone's love life before, much less for Hiashi to do so. The Uchiha Matriarch wouldn't have believed him, if it wasn't for the Truth Jutsu.

"Not only does he approve of the match, he's actively encouraging it in a sneaky way?" She asks and Fugaku nods.

"Pigs really do fly. I never thought I'd see the day." She says with a giggle.

Meanwhile Hinata heads back to the Hyuga Estate. She quickly goes to her room and begins packing. She smiles when she sees her little sister and greets her.

"Sister, where are you going?" Hanabi asks.

"I'm going on a mission tomorrow. We have to catch a Criminal Ninja. We are going under cover. I don't know how long it will take. But don't worry. Sasuke will be with me." She assures her.

Neji had been walking by, when he caught the end of their conversation. It wasn't that he had been trying to spy on them. It was just that he wasn't deaf. When he heard the name Sasuke, his fists tight in frustration. Not again.

"Did you say you are going on a mission with Sasuke?" He asks.

"Yes, I am. The Lady Hokage assigned us. I know that you don't like him, Neji. But he is a strong ninja. We will be able to keep each other safe. Don't worry. Besides, even if he was the man you think he is…he's not stupid. He wouldn't dare try to hurt me. It would trigger a Clan War." She says in a rush, sensing that Neji was going to want to argue with her over this one.

Neji frowns. He couldn't argue with Hinata's logic. But that didn't mean he liked it. If he had his way, Sasuke Uchiha wouldn't be allowed within 1000 feet of his cousin.

"Very well. I can hardly argue with orders from the Hokage." He says with a sigh.

"I know you worry about me. I appreciate it. But you are worried over nothing in this case." She says and smiles, trying to reassure him.

The next day, Sasuke meets with Hinata. He blinks when he saw her outfit. On anyone else, it probably wouldn't have been outrageous. But on Hinata, well it was decidedly less conservative than she normally wore.

She was wearing a sleeveless lavender top that caressed her breasts in a way that Sasuke thought should probably be illegal in public. The bluenette was also wearing a pair of white shorts that hugged her firm backside and showed off her legs. He could already feel his Sharingan activating. Damn it.

"I kinda thought we should dress more casually considering what kind of pl-ace it is." She mumbles and feels embarrassed, when she saw him in his standard Jonin uniform.

"You were probably right. I can always change later. Let's go." He says and heads off with her.

"You should probably deactivate your Sharingan." She suggests.

He shakes his head. It was pointless. Sasuke was too well known. A Hyuga and Uchiha going undercover as lovers, would certainly get the criminal's attention, hella fast. It was better this way.

"It'll away on its own eventually. Besides, we are both too well known to go undercover without a disguise. This place caters to ninjas. So there's no need." He says.

They head inside the hotel. Sasuke walks over to the check in. He gets them a room.

"Since it's your first stay, you can check out the Clone Room for free. It's a new special." The clerk says cheerfully.

"Clone Room?" Hinata asks.

"Maybe later. It's been a pretty long trip." Sasuke says and practically drags Hinata off.

Hinata frowns. She wanted to know what the Clone Room was. It seemed like Sasuke knew. Why had he dragged her off like that? Like he didn't want her to know what the receptionist was talking about.

"Sasuke, what's the Clone Room?" She asks.

"I think you are way too innocent to know. Just file it under the _You Don't Want to Know Category."_ Sasuke replies simply.

"Sasuke." She says firmly.

"Alright. But I warned you. Some ninjas like to use clones during sex. For anyone with voyeur and exhibition kinks, but too possessive to share, supposedly it works out great." He says.

THUD. Yep, there went Hinata. Fortunately, Sasuke caught her before her head hit the floor. He tried to warn her. Maybe next time, she'd listen to him instead of being stubborn.

"Such an innocent kitten." He mutters and carries her to their room, Bridal Style, feeling a bit awkward as he did so because people were staring at them.

He knew it was to be expected. An Uchiha carrying a Hyuga Bridal Style was going to raise eyebrows. That didn't make it any less awkward. He heads to their room and locks the door behind them. Sasuke gently sets her on the bed.

"Honestly, how do Hyugas ever manage to have kids? Are they all this shy?" He mutters to himself as he glances down at his arm.

He had to give Hinata this much. She knew what she was doing. The bluenette was a damn good healer. Sasuke would never have guessed that his arm got sliced up by glass recently, if it hadn't happened to him. Her chakra control had to be exceptional.

Hinata wakes up not long after. Her eyes flutter open and she looks around in confusion. Sasuke thought she looked adorable. Which was generally not a word in his vocabulary.

"So kitten, what have we learned?" He asks.

"K-itten?!" She asks in confusion.

"We are pretending to be lovers. Lovers generally have nicknames for each other. If you don't like it, I can come up with something else." He says with a shrug.

"Oh um kitten is fine, I guess. What do you mean by what have we learned?" She asks in a baffled tone of voice.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. Yeah, there should be some sort of law about the maximum amount of cuteness one person could display per day. She was over her limit.

"When I say you don't want to know, you don't want to know. It's really that simple. I know you. I knew that knowing what the Clone Room was for would fluster you. I didn't think you'd actually faint. But I probably should have seen that coming." He answers.

Hinata blushes. Sasuke probably thought that she was some sort of child. She really need to stop fainting around him (and everyone else for that matter.) This was getting embarrassing.

"It ju-st surprised me is all." She mumbles.

"Clearly." Sasuke says and his eyes dance with amusement.

Sasuke wasn't cruel enough to tease her about it directly. But he couldn't hide the fact that he was clearly amused either. He was only human after all, despite his ninja training.

"Did anything happen while I was out?" She asks and Sasuke shakes his head.

"You weren't out that long. You alright?" He asks.

"I think so. I guess we should probably practice though. I can't blush or faint when we are together. Otherwise no one is going to believe our cover. We are already pushing it by being from rival Clans." She points out and Sasuke nods in agreement.

He sits behind her and wraps his arms around the flustered Hyuga. Sasuke couldn't help but smile at the squirming. Damn she really was innocent.

"You've never been held like this before." He whispers in her ear.

"No. I liked Naruto and didn't mind waiting for him to notice me for a long time." She admits.

"About that. Let's not mention him again while we are on this mission. It's not really believable if they hear you talking about another guy." He gently chides her and "punishes" her by lightly biting on her neck, causing her to gasp.

He briefly contemplates he might have gone too far with that. Sasuke told himself that he had nipped more than anything. He couldn't possibly have hurt her badly. She was a ninja. Hinata had to have a higher tolerance for pain than that.

"Al-right." She agrees and Hinata shivers.

"Did I bite you too hard? I was just practicing. I don't want to make you uncomfortable for the sake of the mission." He tells her.

"No. You just surprised me is all." She says and Sasuke nods, believing that because he was going on the assumption the Truth Jutsu was still in effect.

She couldn't believe he had done that! Hinata told herself to get it together. They were posing as lovers. Considering how exotic this place was, a little necking was nothing. The bluenette needed to get over her shyness.

She had already seen him shirtless before. Was necking really that much different? That's when she realized there was only one bed in this room.

"Sasuke? What are we going to do?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" He asks in confusion.

"There's only one bed. I could take the floor if you like." The Hyuga Heiress suggests.

He shakes his head. There was no way he was going to make her sleep on the floor. If it really came down to it, he'd sleep on the floor. Sasuke had certainly slept on worse during his time as a ninja.

"If you're uncomfortable sharing a bed, I don't mind taking the floor. I'm used to sleeping on the forest floor anyway. This is actually a step up from most of my missions. Don't worry about it." The Uchiha states with a shrug.

"I'd still feel guilty. I can take the floor. It's not an issue." She promises him.

"Hinata, I'll take it. You can take the bed. I really don't mind." Sasuke says.

"But you might hurt your back." She argues and Sasuke shakes his head. He wraps his arms around her tighter and sighs.

"Look there's really no reason to spend all day, debating about this. We can just share the bed. That way no one's back gets hurt. There's no reason to be embarrassed. We are both adults. Besides, if someone walks in and one of us is sleeping on the floor, it would blow our cover." He reasons.

Hinata blinks. Then she slowly nods. He had a point. They had to keep their cover on this mission or there was no way they were going to complete it, without destroying the beautiful hotel.

"You're right." He says.

"Your life will be so much easier, once you realize that the first time." He chuckles and pins her to the bed playfully.

Yeah that was probably a mistake. Seeing her eyes up close was nothing short of memorizing. He had always thought of the Byakugan having a rather cold appearance, like a glacier. But her eyes made him think less glacier and more fairy tale princess.

He didn't think about what he did next. Sasuke later supposed you could say he acted on instinct. The Uchiha wasn't sure when or how it happened exactly, but the next thing he knew…he was kissing her.

Sasuke was vaguely aware of Hinata gasping. But he was too distracted by the feeling of her soft lips against his. They were like rose petals. She tasted sweet like honey and vanilla.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He mutters and begins to pull away.

"It's okay. You surprised me, but if we are going to convince them…we probably should practice anyway." Hinata mumbles shyly and captures him in a shy kiss.

Sasuke hadn't expected her to kiss back. Her kissing back, made it feel even better. He smiles into the kiss and deepens it.

Cinnamon. He tasted like cinnamon. Hot, but not overpowering. His lips were rough, but she liked it. Then she felt him grow bolder and begin to seduce her with his tongue dancing along her own, as if beckoning her to join him.

Hinata moans into the kiss. She'd never been kissed like this before. The bluenette arches against him and thinks that if anyone walked in on them now, they would never know they were just "acting."


	13. Chapter 13

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all of the reviews. To address one reviewer's comment, last chapter had elements that were similar to another mission on a different Sasuke x Hinata story of mine. I viewed them as different enough to stand on their own. The other one was a Chinese Zodiac Party and they got an eyeful of other couples right away, this one is more "normal-ish." Anyway, this mission is only intended to be a 1-3 chapter bridge to get them past their denial. ^^. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 13

Hinata moans into the kiss and runs her fingers through his surprisingly soft hair. She had always expected the spiky mane to be harsher. Sasuke it seemed might not be much of a talker, but he was very skilled at using his mouth in other ways.

Sasuke shivers. There was something incredibly erotic about having her underneath him in this way. She was so soft and warm and at the moment seemed willing to allow him to explore to his heart's content.

"We should probably come up with a signal." He murmurs after breaking the kiss.

At first, Hinata didn't really comprehend what he was saying. He was too close to her. The feeling of body heat, his scent, and ruby red eyes were almost hypnotic. Finally, his words registered.

"A signal?" She asks in confusion.

"Yeah. If I go to far, you should be able to let me know in public, without blowing our cover. I don't want to make you uncomfortable while we are alone or out there." He elaborates.

"Oh right. I'll blink three times in a row, really fast." She says.

She had been really comfortable actually. If Hinata had been a bolder person, she would have told him that. But the bluenette didn't want him to think she was wanton. She lacked Ino's daringness.

"Three blinks, got it." He says and goes back to kissing her, this time on the neck.

Hinata lets out soft sighs of pleasure and continues playing with his dark locks. That felt very _nice._ The Hyuga Heiress arches into him and almost giggles. If Neji saw them like this or any member of her Clan, they would be outraged.

They weren't here though. Besides, it was for the sake of a mission. There was no rule that said she couldn't enjoy herself while on a mission. It was just a little kissing and necking. So far it was still innocent.

"So kissing seems to be alright against the lips and neck. What about other places?" He asks and his eyes dance with mischief.

"Other places? Like where?" She asks.

"Nevermind. Shouldn't have asked. I'm not Shisui. That was wrong of me to ask. Forget it." He says quickly and decides to run his fingers through her long dark blue curtain of hair.

He'd always been fascinated by her hair really. It looked like a waterfall. It felt like pure silk between his fingers. Maybe this was why his father was so fond of his mother's hair?

He tries to refocus his thoughts. If she was innocent enough that she had to ask, _"What other places,"_ he knew that was a no. Sasuke wasn't going to corrupt her. Still he was amazed that someone as innocent as Hinata was a ninja in the first place. One would think such topics would come up on a mission or at least in passing, but it seemed they had not.

"Sasuke, what do you mean? What does Shisui have to do with any of this?" Hinata presses.

"I am not telling you this time. I don't want you to faint again." He informs her.

Hinata blinks. He didn't want her to faint again? She blushes. The bluenette wasn't sure exactly what he meant now, but she knew it was something that would probably be considered scandalous by her very proper family.

"Alright. I'll take your word for it, for now." She says.

"Smart kitten." He says and smiles, kissing her forehead.

It was probably best the mood had shifted from erotic to amusing. Sasuke didn't exactly trust himself now that he knew what her kiss tasted like. Things between their Clans were still too unsettled. Seducing the Clan Head's daughter, probably wouldn't help matters.

"You are laughing at me." She mumbles in a tone somewhere between embarrassed and angry.

"Never, my love. You're just so cute. Can't it." He says without even thinking about it.

Damn it. He'd called her _my love._ Kitten he could probably get away with. But THAT expression was well known in the Uchiha Clan. He wondered if it was as symbolic in the Hyuga Clan. He hoped that it wasn't or else he was in big trouble for that slip.

"My lo-ve?!" Hinata asks with wide eyes.

Shit. Alright that was definitely one thing their Clans had in common, judging by her expression. He had to think fast. Sasuke couldn't lie his way out of this one.

"Trying out different endearments?" He offers.

"Oh. Okay." Hinata says and the shocked look slowly fades.

She bought that. Thank goodness. He didn't know what he would have done, if she hadn't.

"Come on. I doubt we are going to find the criminal in our room." He says and offers her his hand.

Meanwhile Orochimaru smirks. He knew that the Nine Tails was out on a mission and so was Sasuke. True, there were still formidable ninjas inside that village. But he likened it to a pack of wolves hunting.

They didn't need to take out the entire herd. They just needed to grab a few easier targets. The young, the old, or the sick would do. It wouldn't matter what their physical condition was, as long as they were capable of manifesting the Sharing an (or Byakugan).

"The Uchihas are exhausted. They'll be fighting at 25% capacity at best. The rest of the village is too busy bickering to be on guard. It's the weakest I've ever seen the Leaf." Kabuto says, returning to Orochimaru with his report.

"And the Nine Tails and Sasuke are gone, you are certain of this?" He asks.

"Positive. Both are out on separate missions." Kabuto replies.

"Good. Strike now. Take as many Uchihas and Hyugas as you can before leaving. This is a tactical strike." Orochimaru says and Kabuto heads off to give the order.

He was mostly worried about Sasuke because other than the elderly members of the Uchiha Clan and the children, he was the least exhausted Clan member. It seemed that he had mostly been assigned to help his Sister-In-Law with her pregnancy.

The Sound Ninjas head off and strike. It was completely chaos. Orochimaru released the snakes again. So the ninjas were distracted as they tried to take out the snakes and prevent buildings from falling down.

"Attacking a tower by the Academy, should draw the Uchihas and Hyugas out. After all, they are the Leaf's shock troops." He mutters.

Sure enough, the alert soon blares across the village. This was a Code Red. Code Red meant get civilians and those who couldn't fit to evacuation points and every able bodied ninja was supposed to get to the battlefield.

"That's the tower by the Academy, they are attacking!" Kenji, Sauske's grandfather, gasps in horror.

"Oh no! We have to hurry." His wife calls out in horror and flits off.

"MOTHER!" Fugaku hisses and darts off after the clearly insane, elderly woman.

Her heart was in the right place and he knew that. But she was too old to be rushing off onto battlefields and stopping falling buildings. She had lost her mind.

Kenji raced off right after them. He was surprisingly fleet of foot for a man of his advanced years. Mikoto closes her eyes and sighs. She wanted to go after them, but she knew that it would be a foolish move strategically.

"Everyone divide up into groups of ten and span out to your assigned locations for Fiery Gates. Those of you who have been assigned to escort evacuation teams move out NOW!" She says.

"We have to help them." Izumi says.

"You're pregnant. You are on the evacuation team and I am not going to debate this!" Itachi informs his wife.

"I'm not leaving you." She protests and Itachi sighs, he kisses his wife, and smiles when she returns it.

He knew that it was a low blow. But he had to do it. It was for her safety and the baby's. Izumi couldn't charge off into battle like this. He places a quick strike to a nerve in the back of her neck that made her fall unconscious.

"Shisui, take her with the evacuation team! Keep my wife safe. I'm needed on the battlefield." Itachi says and his cousin nods, for once being somber as he darted off with Izumi in his arms.

"GET AWAY FROM HER! FIREBALL JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" A young Uchiha boy scream at one of the giant serpents that was lunging at Hanabi Hyuga and hurls off a fireball, back at the Academy.

The good news? The fireball had certainly got the snake to turn its focus off Hanabi. The bad news? It was now very angry and coming after the 10 year old boy.

"Kita, Hanabi! Children! Take cover. The village is under attack. Head to the evacuation centers." Iruka orders them.

"But we are ninjas to! We want to help!" Hanabi calls out in outrage.

"You are ninjas in training. You are not equip to deal with the level of a threat! DO AS I SAY!" Iruka yells as he dodges another snake's massive jaws.

Most of the children do as Iruka says. He notes to his horror, about ten decided to be stubborn. Naturally, this included Hanabi and Kita. Damn it! If anything happened to either of those kids, he was a dead man. The Uchiha and Hyuga Clans were extremely protective of their children.

"THAT WASN'T OPTIONAL!" He yells.

"Kids these days, huh? No respect for their elders." Kabuto says.

"You!" Iruka says and charges at the medic, knowing he had to defeat the snakes and now Kabuto if he wanted to protect his class.

"KITA!" Hanabi calls out as she slams him out of the way of the falling tower.

Fortunately, for them by this time Aiya, Kenji, and Fugaku had arrived. Fugaku's eyes narrow. He recognized Kabuto as being one of Orochimaru's lackeys. Those snakes were clearly from the Sannin as well. Where there was one, there would be the other.

"Ah how perfect." Kabuto says as he instructs the snakes to snatch the two Clan children, elderly couple, and Fugaku.

The snakes got more than they bargained for when they challenged the Head of the Uchiha Clan. Unfortunately, for Fugaku, while he was slicing a snake in half with his sword, his parents and the two children were kidnapped by the snakes. The might serpents had slammed their tails into them, knocking them unconscious, and were retreating.

"MOTHER, FATHER, KITA, HANABI!" He calls out and tries to race off after them.

"You should be more worried about yourself. A Clan Head would certainly be quite the prize in my collection. I can only imagine how developed your eyes are." Orochimaru says as he lunges at Fugaku.

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Itachi had made his way to the hospital, along with some other Uchihas. He was relieved to see some Hyugas there. While not naturally allies, they were formidable ninjas and they needed them right now. It looked like the Sound had attacked and instead of going for kills, they were trying to capture people?

"Neji!" He calls out.

The Hyuga man was whirling around creating a protective barrier around himself as he spun around quickly and sent his opponent's flying.

"Itachi! I think they aren't here to take over the village. They are interested in kidnappings. They seem to be targeting our families specifically." Neji says and Itachi hurls a kunai into a throat of a Sound ninja that was trying to grab a Hyuga.

"Neji, there are too many of them!" A Hyuga says.

"Take out as many as you can. We have to weaken their numbers." The other Hyuga replies and Itachi flings out a series of kunais.

His chakra reserves and energy levels, were too low. The Uchiha knew that he would have to rely on "basic" techniques or risk collapsing in battle. Unfortunately, he didn't think his fellow clansmen and clanswomen were in much better shape than he.

The sounds of battle could be heard all throughout the village. Itachi could only hope that Shisui managed to get his wife to safety. If they lived through this, he knew that she just might kill him for knocking her out.

It wasn't his fault though. She was so stubborn. It was the only way to protect her and their child. So he would take his beating, if only they all survived this.

Meanwhile back in _Eros,_ Hinata and Sasuke were oblivious to the attack going on in the Leaf. Sasuke smiles as he walks hand in hand with Hinata to one of the restaurants at the hotel.

"Order, whatever you like." He says as they sit down and his eyes scan the room for anything suspicious.

Unfortunately, that was kinda a given in _Eros._ Everything looked suspicious to him. Wait was that man wearing a collar and on a leash? Damn, he really was.

Yeah, that counted as suspicious in his book. But it was the wrong kind of suspicious. He sighs and keeps up his scan of the area.

"The shrimp dinner does look good." She offers, trying to keep their cover.

"Yeah, I like shrimp." Sasuke comments.

Kasa blinks. That was a first. A Hyuga and an Uchiha together? They looked like they were on a date. This was a hotel for couples. Hmm well that was certainly worth investigating.

He gets a table close to them and listens into their conversation. So far it was standard. They were deciding what to order. Kasa felt a little disappointed. He had expected something more scandalous.

He sees the Hyuga woman lean closer to her date. She was whispering something into his ear. But he couldn't make out what she had said to the Uchiha.

"We are being watched. I think we found our target." She whispers.

"Let's put on a good show then. Sit in my lap." He tells her.

Hinata nods. She quickly sits in his lap. Sasuke smiles. She really was such a good kitten. He decides to hold her closely, making it look as convincing a possible.

"May I take your orders?" A waitress asks them, a few minutes later.

"Yes, we'll have two shrimp dinners and two glasses of white wine, please." Sasuke says.

Hinata snuggles further into Sasuke's chest. She didn't miss the envious glance the waitress gave her. The bluenette resisted the childish urge to stick out her tongue at her. That would be most unbefitting of a Hyuga. It was still there though.

The waitress nods and heads off. Sasuke smirks and places a few light kisses along Hinata's neck. Since they had an audience, he decided to be bolder than he normally would have. He glides his hands over her clothed breasts.

Hinata buries her face into his neck to hide her blush. She lets out quiet moans. It just felt really good.

This caused a bit of predicament for Sasuke. He couldn't tell if she was blinking three times in this position or not. He lacked the Byakugan's nearly 360 degree field of vision. He decides to keep going. If it bothered her, she'd whisper in his ear or something, he decided.

"That's more befitting of _Eros."_ Kasa mutters.

He was shocked that the shy Hyuga Princess would allow herself to be touched in such a fashion in public. Then again, perhaps she just felt that she was far enough away from the Leaf, that she could safely indulge her lover, without worrying about her reputation amongst her Clan.

"Seems like my kitten enjoys being petted." Sasuke murmurs in a voice just loud enough for Kasa to catch.

Hinata nods. She had never been touched like that before. Sure, she was still dressed. But the feeling of his hands on her breasts was, well it felt really _good._

"He's coming over. Mind if I go a bit further?" Sasuke whispers in her ear and Hinata nods shyly, giving him permission.

"I must say, I never would have thought I'd see a day when an Uchiha and a Hyuga were romantically involved. Though I have to admit that the aesthetics are stunning. You do make such a beautiful couple." Kasa muses.

"Thank you." Sasuke says and slides his hand underneath Hinata's shirt and over her bra.

He wasn't going to let the other man see Hinata clad only in her lingerie. But he wanted to make it convincing. Oh silk. Hmm he had expected lace. Sasuke liked silk though. He wondered what color it was.

"Perhaps you would be interested in, joining me and some of my friends after your meal in the Clone Room. Tell me are you in an open relationship, do you prefer to watch, or be watched?" He asks.

"If anyone else tries to touch her, I will slit their throat. We prefer to watch or be watched during foreplay, but not the actual act itself." He answers and Hinata shivers at the first part.

Sasuke had practically growled out that sentence. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. Kasa seemed slightly disappointed, yet hopeful at the same time.

"I can understand your reluctance to share, she is certainly a beauty. We'll meet you in the Clone Room after your meal." He states and walks off.

"Be w-atched?" Hinata whispers.

"I had to give the pervert something or he might have retracted the invite." Sasuke explains.

"I guess so." She mumbles.

Sasuke tries to hide his sigh. He knew it was expecting a lot of the shy woman. But it was the easiest way to get their target to let their guard down. God knows feeling Hinata's breasts in his hands, even if they were covered was certainly distracting to him.

"Just remember, blink three times. It'll be alright. I wouldn't do anything you weren't comfortable with. If all goes well, we might be home as early as tomorrow." He tells her.

Meanwhile back in the Sound, Orochimaru smirks. They had managed to capture 18 Uchihas and 7 Hyugas. The Uchihas were an easier target because of how exhausted they had been before the fight even began.

He was pleasantly surprised when they bagged that many Hyugas. Ah excellent. He had a relatively large sample size of Sharingans and Byakugans. Surely, they would make excellent vessels over time and the research he could do on their eyes might very well be the key that unlocked immortality.

"How many ninjas did we lose on the raid?" Orochimaru asks Kabuto.

"Sixty-seven, My Lord." The silver haired medic quickly replies, having already surveyed the damage to their numbers.

"Did we lose anyone important?" The Sannin demands and Kabuto shakes his head.

The snake lover smirks. Excellent. They had gained 25 Uchihas and Hyugas for the reasonable price of 67 underlines. In his mind, that trade ended highly in his favor.

There were really only three categories of people to Orochimaru. Threats, Jewels, and disposable chest pieces. Uchihas and Hyugas were jewels and threats. But right now, he had 25 in his custody. They were now firmly in the jewel category.

"What are your orders?" Kabuto asks.

"Make sure they are all thoroughly restrained and try to identify every one of them. Most of them were probably in the Bingo Book. We may very well find out something useful." He states and the silver haired man wanders off to do as his superior commanded.

Orochimaru smiles. He would have preferred not to have suffered such high causalities, of course. But the price he had paid, had been worth it. Nothing worth having, had ever come easily.

The Sannin was confident that now he would finally be able to do it. He would finally be able to achieve the goal that he had been striving towards for most of his life. The goal of immortality.

"The secret has to lie in their eyes somewhere. Perhaps then I will not require vessels. It would certainly be much easier." He mutters.

He winces. Orochimaru could already feel that this body's time was rapidly drawing to a close. How fortunate for him, that he now had twenty-five excellent potential vessels to choose from.

"Truly, it is an embarrassment of riches." He murmurs to himself in dark approval.

His only regret is he didn't get Fugaku, Itachi, Sasuke, or Hiashi. They would have been ideal. Still one of their Clansmen or Clanswomen would serve his purposes just fine and he might be able to capture one of these more elusive targets later on.

"Adorable." He mutters as he glances into one of the rooms where the Hyugas and Uchihas were being kept captive.

An elderly pair of Uchihas, likely married, were holding onto each other. Well they were doing so as much as their restraints allowed. It almost made Orochimaru feel guilty. Almost, but not quite.

Perhaps equally adorable was a young boy and girl. He could overhear them talking. He chuckles. They were rather spirited little things. Certainly, neither were even Chunin yet. But they thought they could escape.

"Ah the naivety of youth." Orochimaru murmurs to himself.

Did they really think that he would go through all this trouble to capture them, only to allow them to escape? Children could be cute sometimes. He supposed that was the advantage of being under the age of 20, you were still delusional about the world. You still believed in happy endings.

Well perhaps not delusional. He was going to achieve immortality. That would be his happy ending. For them however, there would be no happy ending. They would likely one day become his vessels or test subjects. It was all going according to plan.


	14. Chapter 14

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Clone Sasuke in bold.**

 **Chapter Notation:** Hmm I'm not sure if it qualified as a lime or not. But it was citrus flavored? I didn't think warnings were necessary. But be aware some light petting is coming up. Remember, the mission was a bridge. The Sound is the real threat.

Chapter 14

"You sure you are ready for this?" Sasuke asks softly as he offers Hinata his hand, after they finish eating.

"Sasuke, I'm a ninja. B-esides, you at least set some ground rules. I don't think they are stupid enough to argue with you." She says and offers a shy smile.

Hinata takes his hand. The bluenette allows herself to be led off by the Uchiha. Soon enough they were inside the Clone Room and Hinata got an eyeful.

There were some things that couldn't be unseen. One of them were dozens of people and just as many clones, in various stages of lovemaking. Though she admitted privately, that the term lovemaking was a bit of a stretch in some cases. Most of the couples were more interested in lust than love.

"Ah welcome. I'm so glad you could join us. Is this your first time in the Clone Room?" Kasa asks.

"Yes." Hinata says and Sasuke wraps his arms around her, protectively.

He could already see that he was going to have to be the one to do the clone making. Sasuke forms a clone and whispers some reassurances in her ear.

"I must admit that I'm curious. Your Clans are known to have rather icy relations with each other. How did you end up here?" He asks.

"Hinata is a medic. She was tending to my injuries one day and I suppose that's when we noticed our attraction for each other." Sasuke says and places soft kisses to the back of her neck.

"Oh I see. I bet she looked rather adorable in her medic uniform." Kasa replies and Sasuke nods.

 **Sasuke smiles and tilts Hinata's chin upwards. He places a kiss on her forehead. Then he caresses her cheek and leans in to kiss her.**

 **"There's no need to be shy here, kitten. We aren't in the Leaf anymore. We don't have to hide our feelings for each other as if they are wrong." He murmurs softly, but in a voice loud enough that Hinata was sure at least Kasa heard.**

She almost forgot how to breath when he said that. The bluenette had no idea he was such a good actor. It all sounded so _real._

 **Hinata gasps when his mouth captures her own in a heated kiss. She felt Sasuke deepen it. That's when he started seducing her with his tongue and she forgot anyone else was even there.**

Sasuke nips her neck lightly and glides his hands over her clothed breasts. It was a surreal, but erotic experience. He could see his clone kissing her, caressing her, and whispering reassurances.

"That's it. Just relax and let me make you feel good." He says as he kisses her neck and glances at the others in the room.

Some were too distracted by their partners to notice them. Others were definitely watching them. It was a tricky situation.

He didn't know how many, if any were also criminal ninjas like Kasa. He'd recognized Kasa instantly from the Bingo Book as their target. Even if they weren't criminal ninjas, the resulting fight would draw too much attention at the hotel. They needed to get him alone.

"Okay." She whispers once the clone breaks the kiss in favor of sliding his hands underneath her shirt.

It felt so good. The gentle kisses against her mouth and back of her neck. Sasuke, well both Sasukes were so warm. She could feel the original Sasuke's muscular chest against her back and lips on her neck. The clone's gentle kisses and caresses against her breasts.

Hinata wasn't sure she could even remember her own name at the moment. The bluenette was certainly too far gone to remember that they were being watched, let alone on a mission. She just leans back into her pretend lover(s) and sighs softly in pleasure.

"OH GOD!" Someone cries out in pleasure and that snaps Hinata out of her daze.

 **"Sounds like someone is enjoying themselves. Perhaps we should to." He says to make it look more convincing, he squeezes her breasts and slides a hand down her pants, cupping her clothed womanhood.**

Sasuke had never touched a woman there before. Even with the fabric of her undergarments in the way, he could tell she was warm and wet. That last part made him feel a little smug.

That part couldn't be faked. She definitely enjoyed being touched, as much as he enjoyed doing the touching. Which made him more than a little irritated at Kasa and everyone else in the room. He had a mission to accomplish and couldn't properly act on that knowledge yet.

"Oh!" She cries out and squirms against his hand.

She probably should have expected it. Saske had said foreplay after. But the sensation of being touched so intimately, was still shocking.

 **"She's still a little shy." Sasuke says to Kasa.**

 **"Maybe you'd prefer something a more intimate, my love?" He asks her and Hinata nods.**

She writhes against his hand. If her brain had actually been working, she would have realized Sasuke was trying to get Kasa alone. But at the moment, it wasn't. The bluenette probably would have agreed to almost anything at the moment.

"Kasa, would you care to join us?" Sasuke asks.

"I thought you didn't share?" He asks and smirks, wondering if perhaps Sasuke had changed his mind after all.

"I don't. But I still enjoy showing off our love in front of others. Hinata is indulging me. Though I suppose the crowd was a little too large for my kitten." Sasuke says and kisses Hinata's forehead.

"In that case, I would love to join you." He says and the two Sasuke's walk off with Hinata, with Kasa following not far behind.

Once inside their room, Sasuke pins Hinata to the bed. He hovers over her, completely dwarfing her small, curvy frame with his larger one. He kisses Hinata heatedly and lets his hands explore her.

He was reveled in the quiet moans and sighs of pleasure she made. The needy whimpers and mews were also making it rather hard to remember they were on a mission. That was far from the only thing that was hard though.

"She's beautiful. The two of you are like a work of art together. The black and blue makes for such a stunning contrast. Hard and soft." He murmurs appreciatively.

Hinata moans into the kiss and wraps her legs around his waist. Both of them grown when their cores brush against each other. She runs her fingers through his hair and arches against him, when breaks the kiss to place soft kisses against her throat.

 **"The most beautiful woman in the world and thank you. But I have to admit, I'm going to enjoy this more than I should." The Clone says and strikes the other man hard against the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious instantly.**

Hinata lets out a confused and needy whimper when Sasuke stopped touching her. It was a close call, but he manages to summon up all his self control not to take it further. Hiashi would have his head if he completely seduced his daughter.

"We got him." Sasuke whispers as he dispels he clone.

"Oh g-ood. That was easy." She mumbles and blushes, embarrassed by how wanton she had been only a few moments before.

"Eh men can only think with one head at a time. He was just thinking with the wrong one in this context. I can hardly blame him though. He was right. You are beautiful. You okay?" He asks.

Hinata nods shyly. She was more than a little frustrated he had just STOPPED like that. But other than that she was fine.

"Good. Let's get home." Sasuke says as he takes her hand and slings Kasa over his shoulder, before teleporting them out of the hotel in a swirl of flames.

Hinata always wondered how the flames didn't burn him. She figured it was because he was using his chakra to power it. So she was surprised, though grateful when they didn't burn her.

They swiftly head back to the Leaf. Sasuke blinks and Hinata gasps in horror, when they saw what happened. It looked like Orochimaru had struck again.

"Hinata, stay close to me. We don't know if the attack is over." Sasuke says.

Neji sighs in relief and races over to Hinata and Sasuke when he saw them approach. Thank goodness, that she had been away on a mission when it happened. It didn't look like she was harmed and they seemed to have captured a prisoner.

"Hinata! I'm so glad you are alright." Neji says.

"Neji, what happened here? Is the attack over?" Sasuke asks.

"We think the attack is over for now. The Sound attacked. They seemed to be more interested in taking hostages than taking over the village. Unfortunately, 25 people were kidnapped. This includes Uchihas and Hyugas." He explains.

Sasuke's eyes widen. Twenty-five people? But who could organize a force large enough to take on that many Uchihas and Hyugas? One member of either of their Clans was formidable.

"Who was kidnapped?" He demands, worried for his parents, Itachi, Izumi, Shisui, and his grandparents in particular.

"Your grandparents and a little boy from the Uchiha Clan are probably most notable. I'm sorry to say that Lady Hanabi was also taken." Neji says with a tragic sigh and Hinata let out a cry of anguish.

Thankfully, Sasuke caught her before dropped to her knees. He held her tightly against him and tries to soothe her. The sobs ever so slowly subsided into quiet hiccups.

"We'll get them back." Sauske promises her.

"Come, Hinata. Lord Hiashi will want to see you and I know that Lord Fugaku and Lady Mikoto will likely want to see Sasuke as well." Neji says.

Sasuke didn't like the thought of leaving Hinata "alone" and he said as much. For a minute, the two rival prodigies just glared at each other. Sparks flying between them in the worst way possible.

"Sasuke, he's right. Your parents will be worried. I'll be alright. I'll have Neji with me. Thank you for worrying about me, though." Hinata says.

"Alright and Neji, if anything happens to her…I will kill you." Sasuke says as he flits off towards the Uchiha District.

"That was MY line!" Neji growls in irritation and races off with Hinata back to the Hyuga Estate.

Once Sasuke was back in the Uchiha District, his parents race towards him. Mikoto embraces him tightly and even Fugaku looked relieved. He hadn't expected that the mission might end up saving his youngest son from being kidnapped.

"You're back! You're okay!" Mikoto cries out and hugs him even tighter.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Neji said a bunch of people got kidnapped. Do they really have grandmother and grandfather? What about Kita?" Sasuke asks.

Itachi sighs. It was hardly happy news to come home to. He just hoped his younger brother didn't lose his head. If they had any hope of getting their loved ones back, they all needed to stay calm and come up with a strategy.

"It's true." He admits and wraps his arms around his wife, who leans into him.

After the attack, she had woken up in an evacuation spot. The Uchiha woman had been utterly furious at Itachi! How dare he knock her out like that?! She wasn't crippled, just because she was pregnant. She tore him to him good, when she saw him later that day.

"Itachi, I see you were injured during the battle." Sasuke says in concern as he looks at his older brother's painful looking, black eye.

"Oh that wasn't from the battle. Izumi was not happy with the methods I used to keep her and our child safe. It will heal. I did deserve it. But I can't regret it. I don't know what I would have done, if she had been abducted." He admits.

"Remind me never to get your wife angry." Shisui mutters and Itachi nods.

Fugaku sighs. He couldn't believe this had happened. They had fallen right into a trap. While battling the Truth Jutsu's impact, they had become exhausted. Clearly, that had been the plan all along. Someone wanted to wear them down and then kidnap members of the Uchiha and Hyuga Clan.

"We will get our loved ones back and make him pay for this." The head of the Uchiha Clan states.

Someone had targeted both Clans very specifically. No one that didn't belong to them, was taken. This wasn't a coincidence and he knew who was responsible.

It had to be Orochimaru. Fugaku was well aware that the Sannin had a snake contract, just like Sasuke. Both attacks had used giant snakes as decoys, this had Orochimaru's name written all over it.

"Did Hinata get home safely?" Mikoto asks.

"Yes, she's fine. Neji is taking her back to the Hyuga Estate. Lord Hiashi must be worried sick. He said that Hanabi was one of those who was taken." Sasuke says with a heavy sigh.

Meanwhile at the Sound, Orochimaru smirks. They were still in the process of identifying who they caught. But he knew one well. Hanabi Hyuga. The youngest daughter of the Clan Head. Delightful.

True, he would have preferred Hiashi himself or even Hinata. But still this was quite the catch. Her bloodline was so undeniably pure. It would prove most useful to his experiments. There was only one problem.

"OWE! Someone gag her!" Orochimaru hisses as the little princess bit him again.

Hanabi is soon gagged. Orochimaru glares at her and looks at his now bleeding hand. The little bitch could bite hard, it seemed.

"I truly expected better manners than that from the daughter of Lord Hiashi. Tsk. Tsk. Did he really forget to tell you that biting people is very disrespectful?" He asks.

"They'll find us and then they are going to kill you!" She hisses.

He chuckles. Orochimaru had to admit the youngest Hyuga Heiress had spirit. That's when he blinks and notices something. She was alone.

Where was the Uchiha boy? He had been there earlier. His eyes widen. He had escaped somehow!

"Where is he?!" Orochimaru demands.

"Where is who?" She asks.

"Don't play dumb with me, girl. It doesn't suit you. When you were taken here, you were with an Uchiha boy. He was in this very room with you earlier. Where is he?" Orochimaru demands.

"I don't have any idea." Hanabi says and blinks when she saw a kunai floating in mid air behind Orochimaru.

Kita? But she couldn't see him. It didn't matter though. The kunai slashes Orochimaru in the eyes and she saw a key unlocking her chains. She didn't see anything, but she could feel a pair of small arms wrapping around her, as Orochimaru howled in pain and they teleported off.

"Kita?" She asks in confusion and suddenly he materializes and collapses in front of her.

"How did you do that?" She asks as she quickly checks his pulse.

"Fire is my secondary chakra type. I'm th-e oddball of our Clan. Wind is my f-irst. Can't do it for l-ong yet. But can become air for a little bit. It's how I got out of the cuffs." He mutters and soon loses consciousness.  
Hanabi's eyes widen in panic. She knew that she couldn't defeat the whole Sound Village by herself. Even if Kita was awake, they couldn't do it together. Their only chance was to get out of here and back to the Leaf.

They would then be able to their families where they had gone. That way they could be rescued to. But this was now made very difficult by the fact, she had to drag an unconscious person her.

"You saved me. Now it's my turn to save you." She says and struggles to drag the boy with her back to the Leaf Village.

Back in the Leaf, Hinata arrives at the Hyuga District with Neji. Hiashi comes running towards her. In a shocking display of emotion, he hugs his daughter tightly to his chest.

She could hear other members of their Clan breathe out sighs of relief. They hadn't lost both of their heirs. Lady Hinata was safe. Now they just had to find a way to rescue their other loved ones.

"Are you injured?" He asks.

"No. I'm fine. When we got here, we saw some of the fallen buildings and Neji. Neji explained what happened. I'm so sorry that I wasn't here. Maybe I could have helped somehow." Hinata says in a rush.

Hiashi shakes his head. It wasn't Hinata's fault. Even if she had been here, he doubted the battle would have gone much differently.

If anything, there was a chance she might have also been kidnapped. He had never been so relieved before in all his life. Thankfully, the matchmaking mission had kept her safe.

"It isn't your fault and you mustn't blame yourself. These cowards used the Truth Jutsu to weaken our village. The Uchihas were exhausted. Everyone else had been too busy bickering to realize that an attack was about to be launched. We will save our family members. Do not worry. I promise you, that we will get them back." He whispers to his eldest daughter and embraces her even more tightly, as if he was afraid to let her go.

"Yes, we will." She agrees.

Suddenly, the announcers blare. It was a Code Blue. Code Blue meant the Hokage was calling an emergency meeting of all the villagers who were able to travel to the Village Square. The Hyugas all rush off at once.

"Is everyone here?" Tsunade asks as she looks into the crowd and adjusts her microphone.

"I believe so, My Lady." Shizune says and the busty blonde nods, as she begins.

"As you are all aware, our village was attacked once again. We have reason to believe that they were not after control of our village, but the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans. They only kidnapped people who belonged to those two families. So against my better judgment, I believe the Uchihas should move into the Hyuga Estate temporarily. Their Estate is one building and large grounds. It's easier to defend than several smaller buildings and grounds. This way it will be a united front. The kidnappers will likely be back. They won't expect the Uchihas not to be in their Distinct." Tsunade explains.

Their were gasps of shock. Then there were whispers. The whispers soon ramped into cries of protests and outrage. It was one thing to be in peace talks, it was another to actually be living together.

"THAT IS AN ORDER FROM YOUR HOKAGE. TO DEFY IT, IS TREASON!" She warns them in a voice that sounded more like a lioness's roar than a human shout.

There was some grumbling. Tsunade commands the Uchihas to head off and pack only what they deemed necessary and for the Hyugas to go figure out which rooms to house them in.

Later that day, Sasuke was at the Hyuga Estate. He was out in the gardens, by one of the fish ponds. Hinata was with them and introducing him to the various fish.

"You named them? How can you even tell the difference?" Sasuke asks in amusement, content to listen to her talk about the fish while chaos was going on inside the Hyuga Estate.

"Well that one is fatter than the others, so he sticks out." She says.

"Hinata, they are gold fish. They all look alike to me. I could see your point if they were different species, but yeah." Sasuke says.

"Oh we have lots of different species, we just keep them in separate ponds to prevent fighting." She explains.

Sasuke nods. He wraps his arms around her and looks down into the water. He could see their reflection. The Uchiha decided to indulge in his impulse to hold her. He figured their family members would be fighting over space and moving things for hours. It was the perfect opportunity to indulge in some cuddling.

He wasn't really sure how Hinata felt about him. Obviously, she enjoyed his touch. He smirks remembering that much from the mission. But that didn't mean she actually wanted to be with him. Even Kasa knew their Clans enough to realize that a Hyuga and Uchiha together was almost unthinkable.

"You two look rather comfortable." Itachi notes in amusement as he strides over to them.

The two jump apart quickly, as if burned. Both eyeing the elder Uchiha brother warily. Itachi shakes his head and tries not to laugh at their terrified expressions, they were really too easy to tease. He almost felt guilty.

"Itachi!" Sasuke cries out.

"Relax. I'm not going to tattle on you. I just came to get you because we need all the help we can get with carrying everything inside. I do feel a bit guilty about disturbing your cuddling though. Sorry about that." He says.

"We weren't cuddling!" Sasuke says.

"Uh huh and I'm really a blonde. Foolish little brother, come on. We need your help. You as well, Lady Hinata." Itachi says and Hinata blushes as she gets to her feet.

Sasuke mutter some rather colorful curses and heads off with Itachi. Hinata giggles. She didn't know that Sasuke had such a creative vocabulary when it came to swearing. She heads off and goes to find Neji. Maybe she could help them.

"Hello, Hinata. Would you mind helping me with some of these boxes?" Mikoto asks softly.

"Oh of course." She says and heads over the Uchiha Matriarch.

She knew who Mikoto was. She was the female head of the Uchiha Clan. Even if she didn't know who she was, there was no mistaken her as being anyone but Sasuke's mother. Sasuke had clearly inherited her hair color, skin tone, and eyes. Itachi looked more like Fugaku.

"Thank you." She says with a sweet smile.

"Was that true about the handcuffs?" Hinata asks shyly.

"Oh of course it was. Men can be oblivious sometimes. So every once in awhile, it becomes necessary to be rather…blunt about what you want. You can borrow them, if you want. I still have them." She says and smiles mischievously.

"I w-hat?!" Hinata stammers out and can feel her face heating up.

Mikoto giggles. She really was such a cute little thing. So shy though. Well maybe Sasuke would be able to help her with that. Hmm the handcuff thing might have been a little overboard, she supposed. Maybe something smaller, would be better. Perhaps some nice high heels and a little black dress? One couldn't go wrong with the classics.


	15. Chapter 15

What Happens Next?

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 15

Hanabi was utterly exhausted when she finally drags her tiny feet into the Leaf Village, still lugging Kita behind her. It was a good thing he was only a boy of ten. If he was any bigger, she didn't think she could have managed to get him back.

She eyes the Uchiha District warily. Hanabi had never been inside it before. As far as she knew, no Hyuga had. But something was wrong. Where was everyone?

"The Uchiha Clan has hundreds of members, there should at least be a couple people out and about on the streets." She mumbles, feeling uneasy at how quiet the place was.

"Han-abi?" Kita asks when his eyes slowly flutter open.

"Oh NOW you wake up! After I dragged you all the way from the Sound to the Uchiha District! Kita, was your family planning a trip or something? No one is here." She demands.

Kita looks around in confusion. She was right. Even at this hour, there were usually a few people on the streets. Something must have happened.

"No. They weren't. Hanabi, we should go back to your family's estate. Maybe Lord Hiashi knows something?" He suggests.

"Yeah. We should. Do you think you are up to walking?" Hanabi inquires, her voice softening slightly.

The young Uchiha considers her question. Honestly, he didn't really know. But she looked so exhausted. He had to at least try. His family might be in danger and it really wasn't fair to make her drag him around more.

"I'll try. If I can't, we can rest for a bit. You barely look like you'll be able to limp there yourself." He says.

"I'm a Hyuga! I can do anything!" She snaps at him.

"Including shrieking like a banshee. Sheesh! I wasn't trying to start nothing!" Kita says in a rush.

She shakes her head. Uchihas were so weird. Hanabi waits for him to try to walk. The young Hyuga could tell his legs were still a little shaky, but it looked like he could manage the trek back to the Hyuga Estate.

"Let's go. I have a bad feeling about this. I think something happened." She mumbles and stumbles off with Kita.

"You are so bossy." The young boy mutters and follows after his classmate, deciding it must be a Hyuga thing.

She gives him a dirty look as they head to the Hyuga Estate. Hanabi sighs in relief. They were finally home! Maybe now they could save the others. Neither of them was aware of the chaos that was going on inside the Hyuga Estate at the moment. But they were about to find out.

"DID YOU, UCHIHAS HAVE TO BRING YOUR ENTIRE DISTRICT WITH YOU? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ALL THIS STUFF?!" One Hyuga Main House member roars.

"I thought Hyugas were a quiet Clan. Quiet! Some people are trying to get our beauty sleep!" An Uchiha woman snarls right back.

"You need all the beauty sleep you can get, you old hag!" The Hyuga snaps right back at her.

"What did you call me?! Time for you to learn some respect for your elders. FIREBALL JUTSU: PHOENIX FLOWER STYLE!" The Uchiha screams and hurls the fireball.

Fugaku and Hiashi sigh. They just look at each other and shake their heads. Having a meal to together was one thing, living in the same estate was another. Of course there were going to issues. They were just hoping that it wouldn't come down to fireballs and _gentle fist_ attacks on the first night.

"You will both stop attacking each other immediately. This is ridiculous. You are not Academy children." Fugaku says and drags his Clan member off, embarrassed at her behavior.

"Pft. You are an Uchiha! You have no authority over me! I'm a Hyuga!" He says smugly.

Fugaku was tempted to tell him that his authority would be established via a fist in the man's face, if he didn't shut up. But thankfully, Hiashi stepped in. It seemed the Hyuga Patriarch was eager to avoid a bloodbath.

"He may not. But I do. If you continue to behave in this fashion, I will make you a Branch Member and promote a Branch Member in the Main House. Perhaps they will conduct themselves more properly than you have. You are bringing dishonor to our family by behaving like a child." He informs him and the other Hyuga gulps.

The Uchiha Patriarch smirks. He had to admit, that Hiashi was very good at scaring his Clan members straight. Fugaku could respect that.

"I apologize Lord Hiashi. I was not thinking clearly." He stammers and Hiashi nods, heading off with Fugaku.

"I am sorry about that. I suppose it's only natural. Hostilities have existed for generations and to be forced to share a home with a rival Clan, is jarring for most of them." Hiashi says.

"And I apologize in advance for the future skirmishes that are likely going to happen. It's only temporary. We'll find a way to make it work until our families are safe again." Fugaku assures him.

Hiashi nods. Quite honestly, he was really happy that his home was fireproof. He anticipated many more _skirmishes_ as Fugaku called them.

"I see that your wife wandered off with my daughter. Did you…tell her about our plan?" He inquires.

The Uchiha Patriarch rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn't meant to. The man couldn't lie to his wife, but he could have kept his mouth shut. But Mikoto was a very persistent woman when she desired to be.

"I didn't intend to. It was that damn Truth Jutsu." He mutters.

"It's alright. If my wife were still alive, I'm certain she would have found out somehow as well. What was her reaction?" Hiashi asks.

Fugaku chuckles as he remembers his wife's reaction. He wasn't sure how Hiashi would take it though. The Uchiha hoped he wasn't too offended.

"She expressed surprise that you would engage in sneaky matchmaking and observed that pigs really do fly after all." He replies honestly, because he had no other choice.

"Well I have to confess I am also surprised that I did it as well. In any case, I take it she approves of the match?" Hiashi questions.

"I think so. She expressed concerns because of our Clans' rocky relations. But he's darting off with Hinata, so I suppose this is just her way of getting to know her better to see if she thinks it's a good match or not." Fugaku says with a shrug.

"I do hope she doesn't embarrass my daughter too much. Hinata has always been such a shy girl and your wife is under the influence of a jutsu that makes her, well decidedly not shy." He observes.

Fugaku couldn't disagree with that. Then again, he knew his wife. A sweet, demure housewife in public, but in private…not so much. He shakes his head in amusement.

Meanwhile Sasuke was helping Itachi with moving some boxes. The younger Uchiha would much rather be snuggled up to Hinata, but he knew this was important work. They had to move their stuff.

"Forgive me, I know it's evil. But what happened on the mission?" Itachi asks.

"We established that the physical attraction is mutual. DAMN IT, ITACHI! You know that isn't fair. I can't not answer you because of this stupid Truth Jutsu." Sasuke scowls at him.

Itachi raises an eyebrow. Well he was curious now. He wondered just how exactly they had established that?

"You know you aren't getting off that easily. What happened?" He asks in amusement.

"We had to go on this mission to _Eros._ We had to put on a good show. We didn't couple. It was just some teasing. But it's nice to know that she liked being touched, almost as much as I did. And GOD DAMN IT, ITACHI! STOP IT!" Sasuke snarls at him.

Itachi blinks. In a way, he was impressed. It took guts to hit on the daughter of Hiashi. He wondered if they were actually going to try to court each other officially.

"And are you going to act on this mutual attraction?" He inquires.

"I want to. I don't know if she does though. Plus we are kinda in the middle of a crisis." Sasuke says.

"That's why it's the best time to ask. Hiashi's focused on protecting his family. He will consider it a lower priority issue than otherwise. I'm sure father would go with you if you want. It would make it more official." He offers.

Sasuke considers this. It would. But still, he doubted Hiashi would take him seriously, if he had to lean on his father for support.

"He'd respect me more if I did it man to man, I think." The younger Uchiha replies.

"You're probably right. I suggest you got talk to your princess and figure out what she wants to do or doesn't want to do." His brother advises and Sasuke heads off to find Hinata.

"Damn it. I didn't mean right now. Now I'm stuck with all these boxes." Itachi says with a heavy sigh.

Back in the Sound Village, Orochimaru curses. Damn it! They had escaped. He couldn't believe this. He had been outwitted by two school children!

"Lord Orochimaru, please stand still while I heal your eyes." Kabuto murmurs as he continues the medical jutsu.

A child had attacked Orochimaru and lived? The silver haired medic never thought he'd see the day. He supposed that was a valuable lesson though. Never underestimate your opponent, no matter what their age is.

"When I get my hands on that brat, he is going to suffer." The legendary Sannin hisses in irritation.

"Of course, My Lord. He got lucky. That's all it was. What are your orders for the 23 remaining Hyugas and Uchihas?" He inquires cautiously.

Orochimaru frowns. The wisest course of action would be to leave this base. There was the chance the children could tell the Leaf Villagers where they were. But moving that many hostages would make them sitting ducks.

"I want this village to go into emergency defense mode. You may also begin conducting eye exams. I want to know who has the Sharingan and Byakugan and what their capabilities are at this stage. Those two things take priority over everything else." He instructs.

Kabuto nods. He heads off to begin the defense preparations and begin cataloguing everything. He didn't like the fact those children had escaped. They could be leading them right here.

He knew that Orochimaru had sent out a team to find them. Kabuto doubted to kids could evade a skilled team of criminal ninjas looking for them. But one never did know. Anything was possible.

"Lord Orochimaru wants us to put up our best defenses around the village, the Leaf may find us and attack. This is not a drill." Kabuto says to one of the Sound Villagers who darts off to do as he was told.

"Ah good day to you." Kabuto says as he walks into the room and sees the elderly couple.

"Get away from us and we might let you live." Aiya, Sasuke and Itachi's grandmother, snaps at him.

Kabuto chuckles. It seemed the famous Uchiha pride lasted well into old age. Still they were both restrained. Neither of them were any threat to Kabuto at the moment. Let her bark at him, if it made her feel better. It truly made no difference to him.

"You can make whatever threats you desire. We both know you can't carry them out. Luckily for you two, I am only doing an eye exam at the moment. I have no real desire to harm either of you. You're too valuable to do so, without good reason. So if were in your position, I would make sure not to give me one." He says as he takes out a device used to see inside an eye eternally during your standard eye exam.

"And if I were you, I would be getting my final affairs in order. Because if you even think about touching my wife, your days are numbered. I will make your death particularly agonizing." Kenji hisses at him.

"It's cute. Such devotion after how many years?" He asks as he looks at Kenji's eyes.

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. GET AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND!" Aiya roars at him.

Kabuto ignored her threat. Hmm how strange. There didn't appear to be any damage to Kenji's eyes, other than what would be expected from the normal aging process. He would have thought that by now, at least some damage would have been done from overusing the Sharingan. Interesting.

"Forgive me. I realize women can be rather sensitive about their age." He mutters.

"You are most certainly a dead man now that you have tried to incorrectly imply that my wife is old." Kenji mutters and spits at him.

The silver haired medic growls. He spit at him?! How dare he spit at him?! He was Lord Orochimaru's most trusted advisor!

"I hope the Hyugas have better manners than you do. For their sake, I hope they are smarter as well." He says and strikes the old man.

"KENJI!" Aiya calls out.

"It's alright, my love. This man hits like a Genin." Kenji says and spits out some blood.

"You really do want a beating. Fortunately, I see what you are trying to do. You are trying to distract me. Most likely hoping you can stall for time until you are rescued. A clever plan, but it won't work." Kabuto says as he continues examining their eyes.

Meanwhile back at the Hyuga Estate, Sasuke finds Hinata. He blinks when he saw her and his mother, alone. Damn. That couldn't be good.

"Mother, do you mind if I borrow Hinata for a moment?" Sasuke asks. "Of course, dear. She was just helping me with some of the boxes." Mikoto says with a deceptively sweet smile.

Sasuke knew that smile. His mother had definitely been up to something. Even if he hadn't recognize it, he would have known something was up by how red Hinata was blushing. He thanks Mikoto and leads Hinata off to one of the few empty rooms.

The Hyuga Estate was truly massive. But even an estate this big, was being stretched to the limits to accommodate two very large Clans. The chance to get much privacy in this situation was very slim. So Sasuke was grateful almost everyone was distracted by bringing in boxes and unpacking them.

"Hinata, what did my mother say to you? Why are you blushing like that?" Sasuke asks.

"She offered to let me borrow her fuzzy handcuffs because she said men need you to spell out things clearly for them sometimes." Hinata mumbles and blushes even more.

"She said what?!" Sasuke asks in a completely mortified voice as Hinata repeats herself.

Sasuke sighs. He blamed the Truth Jutsu. Mikoto might meddle a bit without it, but she wouldn't have been that outrageous. Anyway, "helpful mother" or not, he had to ask Hinata something.

"Nevermind. I know that things are a little chaotic now. But I have to know." Sasuke begins.

"Know what?" The Hyuga Heiress asks in confusion at the Uchiha's cryptic beginning of the conversation.

"If you want to be with me. When we were on the mission, it felt like you weren't just pretending. Because if you do, I'll ask Hiashi if I can formerly court you. It'd be better than sneaking behind his back. Doing that would probably trigger a Clan War." He says in a rush.

Hinata blinks. She hadn't expected Sasuke to ask that. He wanted to be with her?! He wanted to be with her badly enough that he was willing to risk her father's wrath?

"But if you don't, I understand. We can just forget this conversation happened." Sasuke continues, taking her stunned expression for rejection.

It only made sense, he supposed. Things were already tense between their Clans. Them being together, might actually make that worse. He couldn't blame her, if she wanted to find someone to be with, that would blend in with her family better.

"I do." She whispers, cutting him off from further babbling.

She had never seen Sasuke babble before. It was cute. In a way, it was nice to know that she wasn't the only one who was nervous. On the mission, he had seemed so sure of himself. Here, he was an awkward teenager, just like her.

"You do what?" Sasuke asks.

"I want to be with you. Do you really think my father would allow it though?" She asks nervously.

"He's allowing us all to live here. I think so." Sasuke says and pulls the blunette into his arms for some much needed cuddling.

"Do you want me to go with you, when you ask?" Hinata inquires.

"If you want to. I don't want to put you through anything, you don't feel comfortable doing. I think he might react better if it's just me and him. But he'll probably want to talk to you about it either way. It's up to you." Sasuke replies.

Hinata considers it. He was probably right. Her father would want to speak with her anyway. It was probably better to face the music.

"We should go together. It will show that we are serious." She says and shyly kisses Sasuke's cheek, causing him to smile.

"Alright. When do you want to do this?" Sasuke asks.

"Now is probably best. He might be exhausted from orchestrating the move and less…shouty." Hinata mumbles.

Sasuke couldn't disagree with that logic. He takes Hinata's hand in his own and the two start down the hall. It didn't take them long to find Hiashi.

Both of their hearts were pounding, when they saw not one, but both patriarchs. Sasuke and Hinata look at each other uncertainly. The last thing Sasuke wanted was to see a battle of the fathers. Damn it.

"Lord Fugaku, I think Lady Mikoto was looking for you. She mentioned something about looking for the handcuffs?" Hinata offers.

Sasuke blinks. That was brilliant. Fugaku raises an eyebrow, but thanks Hinata heading off.

"At the rate your parents are going, I am surprised you only have one sibling." Hiashi says and shakes his head in amusement.

"Yeah. I'm a little psychologically scarred from this Truth Jutsu." Sasuke mutters.

Hiashi nods sympathetically. He could only imagine what it was like to hear such details about your parents' love life. Thankfully, he wasn't in the younger man's position.

"Did you wish to speak with me about something?" He inquires.

"Yes. Well actually we both did. I know this might not be the best timing, but Hinata and I would like to officially begin courting. With your permission of course. My father and mother already gave their blessing, in their own way…" Sasuke says.

Hiashi knew that he had to at least appear skeptical of the relationship. If Sasuke and Hinata found out about his little scheme with Fugaku, they probably wouldn't react well. He was grateful that being the leader of a large Clan had its advantages. One of them was you became quite a skilled actor.

"I would have concerns given the histories. But I assume you know you are under the Truth Jutsu, if you are plotting anything…I would find out about it. It wouldn't end well for you. I will approve of this match for now, with some…caution. Should you upset my daughter in any way, I will lock up all of your chakra points. You will never be able to have children, when I get to the southern ones." He warns him and Sasuke gulps.

"A-lright. I understand." Sasuke says and Hiashi nods.

"Father! I can't believe you threatened him like that." Hinata says and kisses Sasuke's cheek reassuringly.

"You are my daughter. Sasuke will understand someday, if he ever has children, why I needed to ensure he understands the situation. If he upsets you, you are to let me know at once. Then I will correct the situation. We can make the official announcement at dinner." He states and heads off, leaving the two stunned teenagers behind him.

"Well that went better than expected." Hinata says.

Sasuke blinks. He shakes his head. Better than expected? Hiashi basically threatened to castrate him through locking up his chakra points!

"He threatened to have me fixed like I'm some kind of dog and that's your idea of well? What's your idea of it going poorly?!" Sasuke asks in disbelief.

"Him actually dong it." Hinata replies and Sasuke gulps.

Hinata rests her head under his chin. The bluenette wraps Sasuke's arms around her waist and leans into him. He looked a little terrified and the Hyuga Heiress could hardly blame him. Her father was not the type of man who often made idle threats.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. I'd quite like to have you fully functional." She says.

"Well that's a relief." Sasuke says with a smirk and kisses the top of her head.

It was at that moment, that Neji rounded the corner. Sasuke didn't see it coming until it was too late. Neji threw the punch.

"GET OFF OF HER!" Neji roars as he gives Sasuke a rather wicked looking black eye.

"NEJI!" Hinata cries out in horror and rushes to help Sasuke up.

"It's alright, Hinata. I will make sure he doesn't bother you anymore. Damn Uchihas. You'd think they were animals with no self control whatsoever!" He says.

Sasuke twitches. That was it. He'd had it with Neji's prejudice against his Clan. He gets up and starts charging up a Chidori. It was time to teach him some fucking manners.

"For a genius, you are pretty stupid. If I was doing something she didn't want me to, would she help me up?" Sasuke growls.

"Of course, she would. This is Hinata. She helps everyone, even if they don't deserve it. Stand back, Hinata. I don't want you to get hurt." Neji says.

Hinata watches in horror. This wasn't good. They were going to kill each other if she didn't do something.

"Neji! Stop it! Sasuke is my boyfriend. He just asked father for permission to court me and we are going to announce it at dinner! It's alright. It was only a chaste kiss on the head!" She tries to explain.

"You've got to be kidding me. Lord Hiashi actually approved this match?" Neji asks in disbelief.

"That's right and if you attack me again, I won't hold back." Sasuke warns him.

"Has everyone in this estate gone insane?!" Neji asks with a heavy sigh and looks up at the ceiling, as if to ask, _"Why him?"_


	16. Chapter 16

What Happens Next?

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Hmm one reviewer suggested Hiashi get set up with an Uchiha woman by a matchmaking Mikoto, let me know what you think. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 16

Sasuke shakes his head and slips off with Hinata, leaving Neji to his sulking. Whatever. He didn't care if Neji approved or not.

It'd be easier if he wasn't trying to glare daggers at him, but it wouldn't stop him. He'd gotten approval from his parents and Hinata's father. An overprotective cousin, sure as Hell wasn't going to prevent them from being together now.

"Don't worry about Neji. He's just worried about me. He means well." Hinata mumbles quickly.

"Oh I know he means well. He's just trying to protect you in his own way. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Sasuke says and kisses her cheek.

She nods and the two head towards the Dinning Hall. She lets go of his hand. Hinata didn't want to give anyone a heart attack before the announcement.

A few minutes later people begin to file in. Hiashi bellows to get everyone's attention. It was amazing, there were almost a thousand people inside now and yet it was stunned silence after the Hyuga Patriarch signaled for everyone's attention.

"Attention everyone. Sasuke and Hinata have an announcement they would like to make. Considering the former tensions between our Clans, I believe it is best if we do this the formal way." He says and lets his daughter and her intended speak.

Sasuke decides he should probably do it. Hinata was so shy. He squeezes her hand underneath the table reassuringly.

"Hinata and I asked Lord Hiashi and my father's permission to begin formerly courting. They granted it." He says simply.

Never before, had two sentences triggered such a reaction. Instantly, the Dinning Hall went from deadly silent to almost deafening. Shouts of disbelief, gaps, snarls, growls, and yelling were hear everywhere. It was maddening.

"How could you sanction an Uchiha laying hands on Lady Hinata?! This is blasphemy!" A Hyuga cries out.

"What's that supposed to mean?! You should be happy Sasuke would even consider a Hyuga! You're all a bunch of cold fish!" An Uchiha snarls at the man.

"You Uchihas are a bunch of deviants! Who knows what you do behind closed doors? Hinata is a Lady and deserves to be treated that way, not ravished by some Uchiha!" A Hyuga Branch Member says.

"What if I like the ravishing?" Hinata asks and gasps were heard.

Sasuke blinks. Uh oh. That was probably the wrong thing to say. They were in big trouble.

"ARE YOU PREGNANT, LADY HINATA?!" Someone demands.

"What? I was just asking! Sasuke has been a perfect gentleman. I am NOT pregnant!" She stammers out and blushes deeply.

Some sighs of relief are heard. Hinata was under the influence of the Truth Jutsu. She wouldn't be able to lie about whether or not she was expecting. (Not that any of them thought she would lie in the first place, but it was nice to have the extra insurance.)

"QUIET, ALL OF YOU." Fugaku roars in such a way that it made even Hiashi look impressed.

"First of all, my son is not some kind of sex fiend. That is Shisui, not Sasuke. Secondly, Hiashi and I have both sanctioned this match. So if you have objections, you are to take them up with us and not a pair of teenagers. I will not tolerate my son or Hinata being harassed by hundreds of their own kin. HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?" He thunders.

Hiashi nods his agreement. The Uchiha and Hyuga members were still glaring daggers at each other. But they knew not to question their Clan Heads. Fugaku and Hiashi were not men to be trifled with.

"That is better. Now I would very much appreciate it, if I could eat my meal without having my eardrums burst by your loud mouths." Hiashi says and quiet once again descends as everyone begins eating.

"Well Sasuke, you certainly know how to make an impression." Itachi murmurs lowly in amusement.

"Yeah. I know." Sasuke says with a small smile.

"If he gets out of line, you tell me. I doubt you'll have much trouble with him, but you never know. He spends too much time with Shisui." Izumi warns Hinata.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Shisui protests.

"That you are a pervert and you shouldn't be corrupting Sasuke." Izumi replies and rests her head on Itachi's shoulder.

Hinata blushes. She wondered what Izumi would say if she knew about what happened on the mission. The bluenette blushed just thinking about it.

"You alright, Hinata?" Sasuke whispers to her and she nods quickly.

Sasuke frowns. This was probably a little too much for Hinata. He taps Hiashi on the shoulder and whispers something into his ear. The Hyuga Patriarch considers whatever he said for a moment, before nodding his head.

Sasuke offers Hinata his hand, after he stands up. Hinata looks at him in confusion. But she takes it and allows herself to be led out of the Dining Hall

"I asked him if we could be excused. It's a little overwhelming to have that many eyes on us. Besides, I'd rather eat alone with you anyway." He says and Hinata notes he grabbed their plates.

"Yes, it is a little…intense?" She mumbles and Sasuke nods in agreement.

He places one of his hands on her back and carries the food in his other. The young Uchiha smiles and leads her to the gardens. At least there they would have some privacy and not feel like a couple of animals being stared at in a zoo.

"That's putting it mildly. He says, sitting underneath a Sakura tree with her.

He pats the ground next to him. Sasuke was signaling for her to join him. Hinata accepted the informal invitation and soon sits by his side.

"It's a miracle that they both approved. I wonder what Ino and Sai will say?" She asks.

"Oh right. I forgot all about the meddlers." He mutters as he bites into his meal and admires the sight of Hinata sitting underneath the Sakura tree.

He had never really been a big fan of pink as a color. But there was something beautiful about the way it looked so close to her midnight blue hair. Then again, he was pretty sure she could make a potato sack look attractive.

Hinata giggles at the description and sips her drink. Sasuke smiles. This was much better. He adored his family. But when they were around the Hyugas, things could be tense. This was nice and peaceful. He should have known it wouldn't last.

"Sister! Cousin Sasuke!" They hear two children call out and blink as Hanabi and Kita scramble over to them.

"Hanabi! You're back!" Hinata cries out joyfully and embraces her sister tightly.

"Kita!" Sasuke says and greets him in a similar fashion.

He couldn't understand a word they were saying. The children were completely terrified and babbling too quickly. They didn't seem injured though. Still Sasuke had to know how they escaped and if the others had gotten away.

"Calm down. One at a time. What happened? Are the others with you?" He asks.

"We escaped. They aren't with us. But we know where they are." Hanabi says in a rush.

"Unless they moved. They might have moved during the time it took to get us back here." He says.

Sasuke nods. He gestures for them to follow him inside. Hinata follows suit. They quickly head back to the Dining Hall. There were startled gasps from the Uchihas and Hyugas as some of them noticed the kidnapped children had returned.

"Father, Lord Hiashi…Lady Hanabi and my cousin have returned to us. They need to tell us what happened to our other Clansmen and Clanswomen." Sasuke says smoothly.

Fugaku manages to get everyone's attention. They allow the pair of escapees to speak. Kita and Hanabi weave quite the grand heroic tale. (Fugaku was sure at least half of that was embellished, but he digressed.)

"Everyone, I want you all to prepare for a mission. Rest up and pack your weapons. We shall speak with the Lady Hokage about this immediately." Fugaku and Hiashi say as they head off.

The Clans all start panicking. Their Clan Heads were leaving them? Shouldn't they go now? Their family members might already be dead! They should go now.

"QUIET!" Mikoto growls out at them and Sasuke blinks.

You could have heard a pin drop. The room goes eerie silent. It seemed no one wanted to test the Uchiha Matriarch's patience, anymore than they wanted to test her husband's.

"Don't look so shocked, baby. You didn't think your father was the only one who knew that trick, did you?" Mikoto asks with a smile.

"Wait to go mom." Sasuke and Itachi say, as both brothers wonder if there was some kind of handbook somewhere.

Meanwhile Fugaku and Hiashi flit off to the Hokage's office. They both knock. The two men were relieved when she answered the door quickly.

"Please tell me that a Clan War hasn't broken out because you two decided to play matchmaker?" She asks with a heavy sigh.

"No, My Lady. It's not that. Hanabi and Kita escaped from Orochimaru's clutches. We believe we have a location. But the Uchiha Clan is still exhausted. I'm not sure how well my Clan will fight alongside them either." Hiashi explains.

"We don't have time for everyone to learn how to play nicely or have a long rest. I shall send some energy pills with you. Perhaps that might help. You are to move out in the morning. I shall begin organizing backup. I assume the children can give us the location?" She inquires and the two men nod.

"Good." Tsunade says.

That was a relief. At least two of the younger kidnapping victims were okay. She had been worried sick to tell the truth. Still that meant there were 23 Uchihas and Hyugas being held captive by the Sannin somewhere.

She shudders as she imagines what might be happening to them at this very moment. Orochimaru had always been obsessed with the Sharingan. He was likely just as obsessed with the Byakugan. Those poor people.

"As much as I would like to send you all out now, it would be suicide. We need to have a plan." She says and hands Fugaku the pack of energy pills.

"Of course, Lady Hokage. We thought the very same thing." Hiashi agrees and Patriarchs quickly set off back to their Clans.

Tsunade sighs. She quickly sends off her ANBU to gather up a reserve force. She couldn't believe it had come to this. Well she could and yet she couldn't.

She had known Orochimaru all her life. They had been on the same team as Genin. How could that boy have become such a monster.

"He likely wants to use them as human experiments and vessels." She mutters to herself.

It was wrong. Truly, the quiet, intelligent boy had morphed into a monster. She wasn't sure exactly when it had happened. She blamed the war. That was likely when it had started. If only she had noticed, perhaps things would be different now.

She pours herself a glass of sake. The blonde knew there was really no point in going down that path. What ifs, never solved problems. And right now, they had a lot of problems to solve.

"We have to get them back. We can't allow the Sharingan and Byakugan to be used and abused by him. There's no telling what he might do with that sort of power." She mutters.

Tsunade like it a lot better when her biggest concern was what the Patriarchs were up to. Honestly, she still couldn't believe that they had meddled like that. It was so unlike both men.

"I wonder if it worked." She muses.

"You wonder if what worked, My Lady?" Shizune asks as she approaches her Hokage.

"Oh it's a very long story. I sent for the ANBU teams. It seems two of Orochimaru's kidnapping victims escaped. We have a possible location now and must act quickly to prevent a disaster." She explains.

Shizune nods in agreement. The brunette had a bad feeling about this situation. Who knew what Orochimaru was really capable of when it came down to it. She believed he would do anything to achieve immortality.

Anything could include medical experimentation on Hyuga and Uchiha children. She shuddered to think about it. They had to act quickly. There was no time to waste.

Meanwhile back in the Sound, some of the Hyugas and Uchihas breathed a sign of relief. At least Hanabi and Kita got away. They were the youngest members of the Clans to get kidnapped. None of them wanted to contemplate what the innocent children might have been subjected to otherwise.

"Do you think they can do it? Do you think they can get back to the Leaf?" Aiya asks.

"If any pair of children can do it, it would be them. Kita is an Uchiha and she is a Hyuga. Have some faith in them, my love." He says.

Orochimaru enters their room and both Uchihas eye him warily. He smirks. Good, at least they had enough common sense to be afraid of him. Both were too proud to cower though.

"I regret that Kabuto struck you. But really, a man your age should realize how rude it is to spit at someone." Orochimaru chides him gently.

"I would have done far more than that, if I was able." Kenji thunders at him.

Orochimaru chuckles. The man had to be in his 70's. Yet, he was carrying on as if he still thought himself to be in his 20's. It was most amusing. He wondered if all elderly Uchihas were the same way or if he and his wife were just a special case.

"You are quite spirited." He murmurs.

"He'll quite spiritedly kill you for what you have done to our family and the Hyugas." Aiya says.

He raises an eyebrow. His wife certainly had as big a mouth on her as her husband. Yes, he was beginning to think this may just be an Uchiha family trait in general.

"If I wanted you dead, you would be dead by now. You would do well to remember your manners. I imagine you'd both like to live long enough to see your next birthdays." The Sannin warns her.

"Go to Hell." She hisses at him.

He shakes his head. Orochimaru pricks her with a needle and takes her blood sample. He heads over and takes one from Kenji.

"That's all I need for today." He states as he heads off.

"He's got our blood!" Aiya cries out in horror and Kenji couldn't help but share her dread.

Kenji was no medic. But he was aware that Orochimaru could likely learn a lot from those blood samples. Their only hope now, rested in the hands of two small children. All they could do now was pray.

Meanwhile back in the Leaf, Sai and Ino were out on a date. Currently, they were enjoying a beautiful day by the lake. The two were having a picnic and unaware of the chaos that was going on in their own village.

"I am surprised Lady Tsunade would have the Hyugas and Uchihas live together. But I think it is a good thing. It does make it much easier for Hinata and Sasuke to fall for each other." Sai says happily and Ino nods.

She had been shocked as well. Ino was aware that many Uchihas and Hyugas had been kidnapped. But to have the two rival Clans live together, would have been unthinkable, only a short while ago.

"Yes. But there are so many Uchihas and Hyugas in there. Things must be super tense inside the Hyuga Estate. I'm not really sure if that's an environment that leads to romance." She mumbles.

"Oh don't worry. If nothing else, we know Sasuke likes her backside. That's important. Sexual attraction is very important in a relationship." Her boyfriend says with a smile.

Ino nods. Well that much was true. Still Hinata was so shy. She doubted the bluenette would act on it. Which meant Sasuke would have to make the first move.

Maybe the list would help though. The list of good things, outweighed the list of bad things. It was really mostly their family keeping them separate. That might be fixable. It wouldn't be easy, but at least it wasn't something wrong with Sasuke or Hinata themselves.

"Well that's something. Still I think we are going to need to come up with something better than that. Maybe Naruto will have an idea." She says and waves to the blonde, as he approaches them.

"Hey guys. So I've been thinking about it. Maybe we should put Sai's talents to work on this one." The blonde man offers.

Ino looks at Naruto curiously. She wondered what he meant by that. How could Sai's talents help with getting Sasuke and Hinata together. She gestures for her friend to continue.

"I mean Sai is really good at painting. Maybe we could have them pose for him and send the pictures to them and write a note or something. If they think the other person sent them a sexy picture, that might do the trick." He says cheerfully.

"Hinata strikes me as a rather shy woman. I have a difficult time picturing her agreeing to allow me to paint her in such a fashion. I'm also not sure why Sasuke would agree either. But other than that, I think it's a good plan." Sai says after considering Naruto's suggestion for a few minutes.

The flower lover considers this. That was true. It was difficult to imagine Hinata agreeing to that. But she might have an idea.

"Maybe as a dare?" She asks.

"I don't know. The bastard would probably fall for that. His pride is like really important to him. If he was accused of being too scared to pose, he might do it. But Hinata's going to be a little tricky." Naruto says.

"We could say that I like her hair color and want to challenge my artistic abilities?" Sai asks.

"Hmm she might fall for that. Hinata is really nice. She might agree to do it, just to help out a friend." Ino adds.

"Alright. Then I guess that's settled. It's good that we have a plan now, sorta." Naruto says with a smile and the three of them smirk, Hinata and Sasuke wouldn't have any idea what hit them.

Elsewhere in the Leaf Village, Hinata and Sasuke slip off from the chaos. That was beginning to be their _thing,_ Sasuke noted. They always tried to escape the chaos of their crazy families together.

"I'm so glad my sister and Kita are alright. Do you think we can do it? Can we really save them? Do you think it's too late?" Hinata asks in a rush, once they were in Sasuke's room.

"Me to. Yes, I think we can. It's not too late. Orochimaru wouldn't want to kill them right away. They are too valuable for him to do so. Their a medical goldmine. Don't worry. We'll get them back." He says and kisses her forehead reassuringly.

She nods and sighs, leaning into them. It was nerve wracking. No one really knew what had happened to their kidnapped kin. They had to find a way to save them from Orochimaru. They just had to.

"I can't believe they thought that I got you pregnant before we even started officially courting. They think I'm Shisui or something." Sasuke mutters.

"Well I like children. Our fathers are the Clan Heads. So it's kinda expected we'd have kids. I mean I don't want to have them right now, but maybe in the future…if things work out." She mumbles in a quick rush.

"Kitten, you don't have to be that skittish. I know exactly what you mean. Besides, Itachi and Izumi are already expecting. So I think we have time." He tells her in amusement.

"I like it when you call me that." She mumbles.

"What else do you like?" Sasuke asks and his eyes dance with amusement.

Hinata felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. They were officially courting now. Their Clans knew about them. There was no reason not to act like it. But she had never actually initiated any of their touches before. It was a big step, one that she knew she had to take sooner or later.

"I like it when you kiss me." She whispers and shyly presses her lips against his.

It was more a brush of the lips than anything. But her shy "confession" and kiss, had his eyes bleeding red almost instantly. He wasted no time at all in wrapping his arms around her waist and deepening the kiss.

Hinata sighs softly in pleasure as he kisses her. It felt good. This wasn't like at the mission where he was putting on a show. Sasuke seemed content to kiss her gently now and explore her mouth at a leisurely pace.

"Mmm." She says and Sasuke breaks the kiss.

"I like that to." He replies with a smile.

"I like other things, but if Neji saw them doing them, he'd get very angry." She admits.

Sasuke smirks. To him, that was a bonus. It was fun to irritate the very proper Hyuga. Hiashi had given them permission to Court. There wasn't a damn thing that Neji could do about it, unless Hinata protested his affections. (Which it didn't seem like she was likely to do.)

"That's more of a bonus than anything. What other things did you like?" He whispers seductively into her ear and enjoys seeing her shiver against him as he does so.

"I like it when you touch me." She admits with a deep blush.

"You like it when I touch you were?" Sasuke asks, suddenly feeling like he could push his luck more than he could have a few minutes before.

"Everywh-ere." The bluenette whispers.

He smirks and kisses her. Sasuke would have loved to touch her everywhere, but they needed to get some rest. It was going to be a bloody battle tomorrow.

"After we save everyone, I really want to explore that thought some more." He murmurs, breaking the kiss.

Hinata returns the kiss and nods, shyly at what he just said. Sasuke knew by Hinata standards, that was likely the closest to dirty talking she was ever going to get without fainting. She was still so damn innocent, but it was cute.

It made him feel really good to hear her say she wanted him, even if she had done it bashfully. He definitely wanted her. He'd prove that soon enough.


	17. Chapter 17

What Happens Next?

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Thanks for the reviews. Well I think everyone knows that this is going to be a _Rescue Mission_ chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

 _ **Siren's Call:**_ For those interested, I finally updated this one. It's a crack Sasuke x Hinata story.

 _ **Chapter Notation:**_ This is not the end of the story. But this is the battle chapter. I feel like battle scenes are my weakest point. But at its heart, this is a story more about romance than fighting ;)

Chapter 17

The next day Hinata watches in fascination. The two Clans really couldn't be anymore different for how they prepared for battle. The Hyugas had a strict hierarchy and proper protocols in place. The Uchihas, well it seemed like they might have some sort of protocols in place. No one was confused. But largely it seemed to be every man or woman for yourself. Apparently, they largely left it up to the individual to prepare for battle in the best way he or she knew how.

"Izumi, you are staying here. You are pregnant. There is no way that I am allowing you to charge off into battle, when you are expecting!" Itachi says and Hinata watches as the two Uchihas prepare for another type of battle.

The bluenette had always known Itachi to be a rather mild tempered man. His wife was clearly the more feisty of the two. But this time, it looked like the elder Uchiha brother was going to try to put his foot down.

"I'm not going to just sit around and wait while our Clansmen and Clanswomen are in danger! You can't seriously expect me to do nothing!" The beautiful woman protests.

"You're pregnant. I can't let anything happen to you or our baby. Please Izumi, for once just listen to me." Itachi says.

"Please tell me you aren't going to be that difficult." Sasuke whispers to Hinata, sneaking up behind her and wrapping his arms around the Hyuga Heiress.

"What do you mean?" She asks in confusion.

"When you're pregnant. You won't try to put yourself in harm's way like Izumi. She's so stubborn." He murmurs and places a soft kisses to her cheek.

Hinata blushes a deep shade of red. Pregnant?! Instantly her mind flashed to images of the actual conception.

"Obviously that wouldn't be for awhile yet." He murmurs into her ear and she nods shyly, cuddling into him.

Sharingans flashed. Uh oh. This fight between Izumi and Itachi was about to get vicious. Thankfully, Mikoto walks over and drags her daughter-in-law off. The Uchiha Matriarch was heard muttering something about protecting her grandchild.

"Oh good God, Sasuke is actually the mellow one." Hiashi says and smacks his forehead.

Hinata giggles. Hiashi and Fugaku blow their whistles. They had little "necklaces" on them. The necklaces were actually just a bit of chain with a whistle on them, it was just easier.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE! We are moving on out. I have gotten the location from Kita and Hanabi. Some of you will stay behind to protect the children and the elderly. Those of you who have been assigned to this task, already know who you are. Everyone else, we are leaving to rescue our kin!" Hiashi says and Fugaku nods in agreement.

"They will be sending reinforcements after us." Fugaku says and the two Clans head off.

It was truly a strange sight. To the other citizens of the Leaf, it looked like a parade or something. But all the people in the parade were clearly marching off to battle.

Sasuke walks by Hinata. The two walk hand in hand. He shoots a reassuringly look at Itachi. He knew how much his elder brother was worried about his wife. If Sasuke was in his position, he didn't know what he would have done. But he knew that Itachi was right. He was too valuable in a fight to leave behind.

"She'll forgive me eventually." Itachi says and his brother nods in agreement.

"I'm sure she will. She just wants to help. She's worried about them. That's all." Hinata offers.

"Thank you, Hinata." Itachi replies simply and the strange procession continues onward.

Fugaku frowns as he walks next to his wife. Their Clan had been pushed to their limits. Even after resting for awhile, he knew none of them were at 100%. Mikoto had retired from active duty, after she became pregnant with Itachi. But even she had been roped into helping the Police Force after the Jutsu took effect. He couldn't help but worry for her.

"Fugaku Uchiha, I see that look. I will be fine. I might have been off active duty, but that doesn't mean that I have grown soft." She says and kisses his cheek reassuringly.

"I know that. It's just only the Hyugas are going into this fight at their best. I worry for you and the rest of our Clan. We are going to be battling the entire Sound Village. This will not be easy." He murmurs.

"Neither was getting your attention, but I managed that." She says with a smile and remembers how.

 _Mikoto had only been a Genin. Fugaku was five years her senior and at 17, already a Jonin. Mikoto was at one of the Uchiha Clan events. She was so excited that day. She couldn't wait to tell her parents the good news._

 _"Father, mother, my Sensei registered us for the Chunin Exams." The brunette says and smiles brightly, positively beaming with happiness._

 _"Is he crazy?! You're only 12." Her father says and Mikoto frowns._

 _Her father thought she was too young to be a Chunin. He didn't think she could do it. That hurt. That really hurt._

 _"She's the same age I was when I became a Chunin. The girl knows how to throw a fireball and throw kunais like the best of them. She's an Uchiha. She'll be fine." Fugaku says, not even bothering to look up from his sake._

 _The teenager didn't know it yet, but that was when Mikoto fell in love with him. He was going to be her husband one day. Most people would later think it was just a crush. But what an Uchiha woman wants, she gets…eventually._

 _"Mikoto, are you sure, this is what you want?" Her father asks gently and she nods determinately._

 _It took her six fucking years to get his attention! But finally, she became a Jonin and she had a plan in mind. Fugaku was friends with Minato. Minato was dating Kushina. Kushina was her best friend. One day Minato had let it slip that Fugaku was apparently a leg man. She could work with that!_

 _"Fugaku, could you hand me the medium sized female Jonin pants? The small is well too small." Mikoto says from behind a changing stall at the Uchiha Police Force building._

 _"Of course." He says and slides them through the curtain._

 _He had no idea who he was dealing with. Mikoto swept her foot underneath his, causing him to stumble into the stall with her. He got an eyeful of Mikoto standing only in her Jonin vest and a pair of lacey red panties, with her legs on full display. And the rest was history…_

"I still can't believe you actually did that. You have to be the sneakiest woman that I've ever met." He mutters and Mikoto giggles.

"Do I even want to know what you two are referring to?" Hiashi inquires as they flit off.

"No. No, you most certainly do not." The Uchiha Patriarch replies as they race off.

Soon enough they arrive in the Sound. Thousands of Byakugans activate at once. Since their jutsu allowed them to see through walls, it was a relatively simple matter to determine where their family members were being held. Getting them out of there alive, not so much.

"We got company." Shisui says as the Sound Villagers head outside.

"Surround the village. Make sure there isn't an area that they can slip away from.' Fugaku barks out and the Uchihas and Hyugas rush off to do exactly that, surrounding the Sound in a giant circle.

"GET THEM!" Orochimaru hisses once he realized what was going on.

He knew that it was going to happen. Those damn brats must have made it back to the Leaf Village somehow. He didn't know how. But now they had a serious fight on their hands.

They did have one advantage though. The Uchihas weren't at their best. So he signals for his villagers to target them first. They would be the easiest to deal with.

"Hinata, stand back." Sasuke says and the bluenette does as he asks.

Sasuke quickly summons Aoda. He sends the massive snake hurtling at the Sound Villagers who were closest to him and his kitten. He wanted to save his fellow Clansmen and Clanswomen. Then they could go home and Sasuke could explore that touch me everywhere option.

"Aoda, take out as many as you can. You can kill." Sasuke states and he charges up a Chidori, going flying at one of the Sound Villagers.

Fugaku was decidedly less flashy than his youngest son. He was relying on good ole fashion taijutsu. He slams his foot into the ribcage of a Sound Villager. A sickening CRACK is heard.

"Not bad." Hiashi says as he forms a rotation and sends the ninjas who were trying to surround him flying.

Hinata takes advantage of the chaos. She darts inside the building where the Uchihas and Hyugas were being housed. That's when she realized she wasn't alone. Kabuto was there.

"You really didn't think we'd leave the place, completely unguarded, did you?" He asks.

"I don't want to have to hurt you, but I will." She says and Kabuto smirks lunging at the bluenette.

"I'd rather not hurt you. Your eyes are too valuable to do so without cause. But I'm afraid I must extend the same invitation to you. Maybe I can talk Orochimaru into letting you and Sasuke have a room together. It would be quite interesting to see what a merger of the bloodlines would be like. As I recall, the two of you are rather…close." He says suggestively.

Hinata was surprised at the sound that left her lips. It was nothing short of a snarl as she attacked him with the _Gentle Fist._ Soon they were trading blows as the battle waged on outside.

"AHHHH! Fucking coward." Sasuke hisses as he whirls around to face the ninja who stabbed him in the back.

"A ninja should expect the unexpected." He smirks and was pleased to see the kunai was still jabbed into the Uchiha's back.

"Are those going to be your last words?" Sasuke growls and hurls a fireball right at the other man, burning him alive.

Mikoto casts a genjutsu. The ones who were caught in it, thought they were being burned alive. But unlike Hyugas, she didn't have a nearly 360 degree range of vision. So she didn't see the attack coming. A Sound Village slammed a sword into her side and the grass was soon coated with blood.

"MOTHER!" Itachi cries out and races towards her, when he saw the Uchiha Matriarch go down.

"You should be more worried about yourself." Orochimaru hisses at him and itachi glares up at that snake.

Itachi had growls at the Sannin. This was the last time that the older ninja would be allowed to threaten his family (and the Hyugas). He couldn't allow this psychotic ninja to live. He needed to end him, before his child was born.

He was a prodigy for a reason. He knew that Orochimaru would never give up. The man was obsessed with the Sharingan and all other bloodlines. Someday, he might come after Izumi and their child directly. He couldn't allow that. He would end this now.

"TAKE THAT!" One of the Hyugas cry out.

The sounds of battle ring out. Swords, kunais, and senbon were flying everywhere. Itachi was sure he even saw a few axes and knives. The names of various jutsus were flying and most of the Sound was on fire, thanks to Uchihas using their trademark attack. The Hyugas were doing their deadly, graceful "dances" with their gentle fists.

It was so chaotic, it was difficult to tell which side was winning. But there was a lot of blood on the grass and more than a few collapsed bodies that were no longer moving. Whether they were Uchihas, Hyugas, or Sound Villagers, Itachi didn't know.

"Itachi! Get him! I'll get mother to safety." Sasuke calls out and races over, scooping Mikoto up in his arms and darting off quickly.

The elder Uchiha brother and Orochimaru attack each other. Itachi dodging the tongue sword that the elder ninja tried to use on him. He activates his Tsukuyomi. Soon Orochimaru's cries of agony run out.

Sasuke wasn't sure what Itachi was doing to Orochimaru inside that imaginary world, but clearly it involved torture. Those screams that the Sannin was making, would likely haunt him the rest of his days.

"Don't worry, Sasuke. It's not as bad as it looks." Mikoto assures her son and Sasuke could only look down at his mother in disbelief.

Not as bad as it looks?! He was carrying her and his hands were now covered in blood just from that. He whisks her outside the village and stops when they were at the top of one of the trees.

Quickly, Sasuke tugs off his shirt and uses it as a bandage. He wraps it tightly around Mikoto's injury. He then opens his ninja pouch and takes out a few blood replenishing pills.

"Such a clever son, I have. Always prepared." She says with a smile that turns to a grimace.

"Yeah. Just take it easy. Reinforcements will be here soon. I expect they will have a medic with them." He tells her.

Mikoto nods. She had had worse injuries. But she understood how bad it looked. She certainly wasn't foolish enough to rush back onto the field. But Sasuke was needed.

"I'll be alright, Sasuke. You're needed down there. Go." She tells him and Sasuke promptly tells her, that he wasn't going anywhere.

She smiles. He was a clever boy, but he was also infuriatingly stubborn sometimes. He got that from her.

Meanwhile back with Hinata, she forms some shadow clones. It wasn't her trademark style. But it would be damn useful in this case. She has the clones search the place and work on freeing the kidnapping victims.

"Clever. But now I'm just going to have to kill you." Kabuto says as he attacks Hinata, his hand glowing and he slams it into her shoulder.

He had been going for her neck. But she had managed to dodge slightly at the last second. If she hadn't, he would have torn right through her jugular, instead of her shoulder.

"Orochimaru used to have better tastes in minions. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to hit a woman?" Kenji asks once free and in the hallway.

He sends a kunai flying at Kabuto, who had turned his head instinctively when someone addressed him. The kunai lodged itself right in his left eye.

"That's why I love this man. He never misses." Aiya says with a smile and sends a fireball flying at Kabuto who was now howling in agony.

Aiya's eyes widen in horror, when she saw Hinata's shoulder. She rushes over to the poor girl and catches her, before she fainted from shock. The other Uchihas and Hyugas have a similar reaction.

"Who is the fastest one here? She needs to get medical attention immediately." Kenji demands.

One of the Hyugas quickly grabs Hinata and darts her outside. He had to get her to the Leaf as soon as possible. That's when he smirks. He could see that the reinforcements were arriving. One of them had pink hair. He knew that it had to be Sakura. She was a medic.

He races over there with Lady Hinata in his arms. The woman would be able to help. The young Hyuga man knew that she could.

"My Lady was injured. Please help her!" He says.

Sakura's eyes widen. That looked really bad. She nods and quickly takes Hinata away from the other man and darts off with her in her arms. The pink haired woman leans over and begins conducting a healing jutsu as the battle really heated up.

Itachi releases Orochimaru from the jutsu and shoves a sword straight through his heart. He as a pacifist by nature. So it disturbed him that the man's death brought him so much satisfaction. He'd worry about the ethical implications of that later though.

"ALRIGHT! LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" Naruto calls out and thousands of clones appear.

Naruto had been on of the reinforcements. The clones quickly help the Uchihas and Hyugas in the battle. Other Leaf ninjas such as Shikamaru also helped. He used his shadow possession jutsu to hold people in place while Kabuto attacked. Choji was rolling around in a giant ball, knocking people over. Shino's bugs were swarming Sound Villagers. It was truly a madhouse.

The battle raged for hours. By the end of it, Mikoto had gotten looked at by a medic. There were hundreds of Sound ninjas that lay dead or critically injured. Almost no one on either side, made it through without some kind of injury though. The medics that had been brought, were working double time.

"Hinata!" Sasuke cries out and rushes over to her, once he saw that Sakura was leaning over her.

"It's alright Sasuke. Her shoulder injury was bad. But she's stabilized now. She'll be fine." Sakura tries to reassure him, but Sasuke wasn't having any of it.

Hinata pulls Sasuke down for a rather heated kiss. It made even Sakura blush. She knew that the Uchiha was going to lose it, if he didn't get some form of reassurance that she was alright.

Sasuke eagerly returns the kiss. Sakura wisely decides to leave the medical tent and give them some privacy. It looked like they had both forgotten she was even there.

"How is my daughter?" Hiashi asks when he notices Sakura leave the medical tent that Hinata had been in.

"She's much better now. Don't worry. Um Sasuke is taking care of her." The medic replies.

Hiashi shakes his head. In this context, he didn't want to know exactly what she meant by that. Though he could speculate some educated guesses. He had approved of the courtship. That didn't mean he was eager to walk in on her daughter and her future lover, being that way.

"Yes, well I'm certain she is in good hands now. What about Mikoto Uchiha?" He inquires.

"Oh another medic was looking at her. She lost a lot of blood. But Sasuke got her to safety earlier. She says he gave her some blood replenishing pills. So I expect she'll be fine. Last I saw, Fugaku was visiting her." She replies.

Hiashi nods. Well that was to be expected. He sighs in relief. The battle could have gone so much worse than it did.

Meanwhile in another medical tent, Fugaku was with Mikoto and Itachi. He didn't like the fact that she had gotten injured. But in a battle that brutal, it was to be expected.

"You did well, Itachi." Fugaku praises his eldest son.

"I did what anyone would have done. I protected our family. He never would have stopped, if he had been allowed to live. I eliminated the threat." He states.

"Where is Sasuke?" Mikoto asks softly.

"He's with Hinata. She was injured during the battle. It's not fatal. But he got scared pretty badly by it. I doubt he's going to leave her side anytime soon." Their son informs them.

Fugaku nods. Well that was to be expected. At least their families were all now free again and once everyone was stabilized enough to move, they could all go home.

"I imagine you can't wait to get home and see Izumi." He offers.

"She's likely still going to be very irritated with me. I will never understand why she insists on putting herself in harm's way in her condition. But yes, I want to see her. That way I'll know that she's alright. That our child is alright. I hate being from her when she's expecting." Itachi says with a sigh.

"Your father was the same way with me. Don't worry, I'm sure she will forgive you." She says with a giggle.

"Forgive me?!" Itachi asks in disbelief.

Fugaku shakes his head in amusement. He gives his eldest son a look that told him quite clearly, just to go with it. Men simply would never be able to understand women. There was no point in even trying.

Itachi saw that look. He sighs and decides just to go with it for the time being. He nods his head in agreement.

Elsewhere, Naruto heard that Hinata got hurt. Wanting to check on his friend, he finds her medic tent. He blinks when he got there. Looks like Sasuke was taking that whole _kissing it better_ thing seriously.

Sasuke was relieved. Hinata was alright. Her shoulder injury had been taken care of. She'd be alright. He moans into the kiss when he felt her tongue move against his.

"Sasuke." Hinata squeaks when she suddenly breaks the kiss and blushes ruby red.

"What's wrong?" He asks in confusion.

"H-ello, Naruto." She mumbles quickly and Sasuke looks around.

Sure enough, there was Naruto. He was standing outside the medical tent. No doubt he had gotten an eyeful of them kissing. He'd never live this one down.

"Hey, Hinata. I see that you are feeling better. I'm gonna just go and let you two, you know…whatever it is you are doing." The blonde stammers.

"You are SUCH a loser." Sasuke mutters and rolls his eyes.

"Stop being a bastard! I didn't mean to walk in on you two. Jeez, you should really let her rest before you jump her like that. But I guess that this means I can tell Sai and Ino you guys are official. They don't need to keep meddling." He says happily.

Sasuke twitches. He didn't like that Ino and Sai had decided to meddle in their love lives. Even if they had ended up together anyway, that was their decision. They didn't need "help."

"You might want to go, Naruto. I don't think Sasuke is too happy about the matchmaking attempts and he's right. I know you guys were just trying to help, but still. It's not nice to try to trick your friends." Hinata chides him gently.

"Yeah. I'm gonna go. You two have fun! Oh and don't forget to name the baby after me, if it's a boy!" He says cheerfully and darts off before Sasuke could strangle him.

Sasuke shakes his head in disbelief. Only Naruto. He really was such a loser. But that didn't matter. What mattered is that Hinata was safe and they did have a little bit of privacy.

He smirks and decides to take advantage of that. Sasuke captures Hinata's lips with his own. The two soon resume their passionate kissing, both just happy to be with their most precious person and with the knowledge that their families were safe once again.


	18. Chapter 18

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I guess the battle scene went better than I thought it did. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter.

 **Just Curious:** At some point in in the distant future, I was considering doing a Mikoto x Fugaku story. A how they got together one. Perhaps some time traveling, like Itachi, Sasuke, or Naruto goes back in the past to try to prevent the Uchihas from organizing the coup or something. ^^. Let me know if you have any interest in this plot bunny. Possibly side pairings involved.

Chapter 18

A few weeks later and things had gone back to normal in the Leaf. For the most part, everyone's battle injuries had been treated. The Uchihas and Hyugas were very relieved when the Uchihas were able to head back to their district.

Relations had improved somewhat. But it was still like fire and ice. Thankfully, they were down to only the occasional fireball or gentle fist attack. Hiashi considered that progress. Speaking of progress…

"How's your shoulder?" He hears Sasuke asks Hinata from their position of sitting by underneath one of the trees by a fish pond.

"It's still a little tender. But the worst of the damage was repaired." Hinata replies with a sweet smile.

Hiashi was extremely relieved that Sasuke didn't seem to mind an old fashioned courtship. Most of the time, he would come to see her at the Hyuga Estate or take her into the village to spend the day together. (Hiashi approved of this choice because he knew other people would be around and Hinata would likely return home with her virtue INTACT!) Sometimes they would go the Uchiha District, which he wasn't as keen on. But again, he assumed Sasuke wouldn't try anything too scandalous with his family surrounding them.

"Does this help?" He asks in a whisper and places gentle kisses along the shoulder that had been attacked.

"Sasuke! My f-ather is standing only a few yards away from us." She blushes as red as an apple.

Sasuke was now up to 14 shades of red and counting so far. He smirks. The Uchiha was certain that they had passed the world record by now.

"Hinata, we've been courting for weeks. I'm sure that he knows we are kissing and affectionate with each other by now. Kitten, you need to relax. Now if he finds out what happened on our mission, then I will be worried." Sasuke concedes.

With that, the apple red was upgraded to a tomato red. He chuckles. Sasuke loved to tease his kitten. He smiles and cuddles into her.

"I still don't like it." Neji mutters to Hiashi.

"Nor do I. But I would feel he same way, no matter who was courting her. He's conducted himself properly. I see no reason to object towards them being affectionate towards each other. He has not done anything particularly scandalous yet." The Hyuga Patriarch muses.

Hinata shakes her head and returns the cuddling. It was always nice to be held by Sasuke. She enjoyed it. But she wanted more.

Unfortunately, she was unlikely to get more. They were always being watched. If it wasn't her family, then it was his. If it wasn't the Clans, it was the rest of the village. So far other than kissing and embracing, their relationship was completely chaste and it was driving her crazy!

"How is your mother doing?" She asks to try to distract herself from her frustration and because she was genuinely worried about the Uchiha Matriarch.

"She's doing much better now. I think she is secretly enjoying father fussing over her. Half of me suspects she is pretending to be in more pain than she actually is." He says with a chuckle.

Hinata nods. She could see Mikoto doing that. She was a very sweet woman, but she was also extremely sneaky when she wanted to be. Mikoto had told her how she got Fugaku's attention originally and it was enough to make the Hyuga Heiress blush.

"Most likely." The Hyuga woman agrees.

"And I already scared Naruto, Sai, and Ino straight. I don't care for them meddling in our lives." He mutters.

The bluenette wasn't sure she wanted to know what constituted scared straight in Sasuke's mind. Sometimes it was better just not to ask questions. Judging by his smirk, he was rather pleased at whatever method of punishment he had come up with.

"I guess I better be going. My shift starts in an hour at the police station." He says with a sigh and kisses her.

Hinata kisses back. In a way, she was grateful he was on the police force now. It meant he had a regular schedule. Most ninjas didn't and she really liked the way he looked in his uniform.

"I'll see you later then." She replies and Sasuke nods, heading off.

A few hours later after his shift, Sasuke heads into Fugaku's study. Itachi mentioned that his father wanted to talk to him about something. Curious, he knocks on the door.

"Come on, Sasuke." Came the voice of his father.

"What did you want to talk about?" Sasuke asks as he walks inside, not sure what the Uchiha Patriarch wanted.

Fugaku glances at Sasuke up and down. It was hard to believe that both of his son's were grown. He wondered if Mikoto had actually been joking about the wrinkles or not. He'd check in the mirror later.

"I see that your relationship with Hinata seems to be progressing nicely. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for the two of you to find any privacy. You are both from the two largest Clans in the village after all." The elder Uchiha muses.

Sasuke nods. It was. Honestly, it was getting very frustrating. The last time he got to do more than kiss her was on that mission to _Eros._ He briefly pondered the possibility that Hinata might be feeling equally as frustrated.

"I thought as much. It was difficult enough for myself and your mother to find private time when we were courting and we were both from the same Clan. Consider this an early birthday and Christmas present." He states and tosses Sasuke something.

Sasuke blinks and catches it. He looks down and notices key. He looks at his father in confusion, not getting it.

"Those are the keys to your new home. It's still in the District, but no one else has those keys. You can make as many copies or as few as you like. It will be YOUR castle to do with as you see fit. You're a man now and you deserve your privacy." Fugaku states.

"You're giving me an apartment?!" Sasuke asks in disbelief.

"No, not an apartment. It's a house. Granted it is not as large as this one. But as I imagine it will mostly be you and Hinata, I didn't see the point in getting a massive one. Still it is big enough for you and should you decide to have a family of your own one day, them as well." He continues and umpfs when his youngest son tackle hugs him.

Fugaku pats Sasuke's back awkwardly. He was not a man who was used to giving hugs. He does smile though. Sasuke did seem rather grateful for his gift. (It was only fair though, Itachi and Izumi had their own place. Sasuke and Hinata should as well.)

"It's perfect. Thank you." Sasuke says.

"Well perhaps you should see the house first." He chuckles.

"Does it have four walls, a roof, and a door with a lock on it?" His youngest son asks.

"Well yes. That is generally the point of a house." His father replies with a chuckle at Sasuke's question.

"Then it's perfect." Sasuke responds.

Fugaku chuckles. Well Sasuke had always been rather easy to please. Itachi was the opposite. He often challenged Fugaku about everything. Sasuke conversely was always happy with whatever affection he saw fit to bestow upon him with. He loved both of his boys dearly, but Itachi could be a handful sometimes and Sasuke a little too eager to please.

"Well I'm glad you think so. Though it would probably be best if you didn't inform Hiashi of this development. He is rather traditional and I don't think he would approve of you and your intended alone together." He muses.

"Wasn't planning on it." Sasuke says with a smirk and heads off to go see his new house.

Mikoto blinks when she saw Sasuke dart to his room. She raises an eyebrow and heads to Fugaku's study. He must have told Sasuke about the house.

I take it, that you told him." She says with a giggle.

"I told him. He's quite pleased. Poor boy. I can certainly understand his frustration." Her husband replies with a laugh.

"Do you know what this means, my love?" Mikoto says as she sits in his lap and wraps her arms around his neck.

He didn't know what this meant. But he liked where it was possibly heading. The Uchiha Patriarch smiles and wraps his arms around her waist as he encourages her to continue.

"No. What does this mean?" He asks.

"We are officially empty nesters. We have our house all to ourselves." She replies with a knowing smile.

He smirks. Ah there could be some advantages to getting old after all. The rest of the night passed in a rather enjoyable fashion.

Meanwhile Itachi returns from his quick trip to the market. It seemed Izumi had been craving a ice cream. At this point, he just tried to go with it. Pregnancy was a strange journey. He almost pitied Sasuke when he finally got to deflower his little Hyuga Princess and merged the bloodlines. Itachi imagined many chakra lockings in his future.

"Izumi, I'm home. I got you your ice cream." He calls out as he walks into their house.

She smiles and bounds over to Itachi. Izumi really wanted her ice cream. The pregnancy cravings were driving her crazy. That and she was of course happy to see him.

"That was fast. Here you go, my love." He says and hands it to her, as he kisses her forehead.

"Thanks. You want any?" She asks as she grabs a spoon and shoves it into the frozen treat.

"I'm good. Watching you eat it is enjoyable enough for me. I do admire how…flexible your tongue can be." He says and Izumi swats him playfully for that remark.

"I hope that Hinata knows what she is getting in for, if Sasuke is anything like you." She says with a giggle.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Sasuke WISHED he as smooth as him. Oh well. He was still young. He'd become better at seducing sooner or later.

He smiles and places his hand on his wife's slightly rounded stomach. She was just beginning to show, if you looked closely enough. He knew that she was worried about looking fat. Itachi was constantly reassuring her that was a ridiculous concern.

The Uchiha man was quite pleased about it though. Now to a certain extent he could "see" their son or daughter. It was still too early to tell the gender. But they would know soon enough. Itachi was rather curious to find out. He had no preference either way, he was just curious.

"Oh it takes time to hone one's seduction skills to perfection, as I have. I'm certain my foolish little brother will get there with time though." Itachi offers.

Izumi giggles. Itachi was normally so serious. It was nice to see him relax now and then. She enjoys her ice cream and snuggles into the arms of the man she loved with all her heart.

"Mmm someone is feeling rather arrogant tonight, I see." The Uchiha woman observes.

"I don't view it was arrogant. I prefer to think of it as realistically confident." Itachi says.

She shakes her head in amusement. Realistically confident? Uh huh. She pats her stomach.

"Your father is being silly today." She murmurs.

"I am not being silly. That's how you got pregnant in the first place." Itachi protests his wife's declaration.

"And he's losing his memories before thirty. That's not a good sign." She continues talking to her belly, enjoying egging her normally stoic husband on.

Itachi raises an eyebrow. Oh she was asking for it. He gives her a nice swat on her bottom for that one. His seduction skills were exceptional. Thank you very much!

She squeaks at that one. Oh that was it. She tackles him to the couch and straddles his waist, pinning his hands above his head.

"You asked for it." She whispers hotly into his ear.

"Indeed I did." Itachi replies with a smirk.

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Naruto, Sai, and Ino were still shivering. Sasuke could be quite scary when he got mad. The morale of a story? Never mess with an Uchiha's love life. They'll figure it out.

"I can't believe he did that." Naruto mutters.

"Well to be fair. We were being rather deceptive. But it was horrific." Sai agrees and Ino nods.

"Can't argue with the results though. I've seen them walking around the village. It worked." Ino says cheerfully.

Naruto nods. He couldn't argue with that. Sasuke and Hinata went everywhere together. They were the new Izumi and Itachi.

"And I'm really glad the Truth Jutsu disappeared with Orochimaru's death. That was getting exhausting." Ino murmurs.

"Oh I don't know. There were some benefits to it." Sai muses.

Naruto shakes his head. Never again. He really hoped no one ever used that cursed jutsu again. The village had only been a breath or two away from all out Civil War. It was crazy.

"No. Just no. Well it looks like the Uchihas are back to normal. They just needed some rest. That had be exhausting." She observes.

"Yeah. Who knew that many affairs were going on?" Naruto asks.

That was one of the biggest headaches during the Truth Jutsu, according to Sasuke. Dealing with people whose spouses were cheating on them. The young Uchiha claimed once a woman threw a glass bottle into the street after finding out about it and it hit him.

"Well I am glad that fidelity isn't an issue for us." Sai says with a smile and wraps his arm around Ino.

"Of course." The blonde woman replies and kisses his cheek in agreement.

Naruto still had no idea how that worked. Sai and Ino were like night and day. But he decided it was probably best not to question it. He couldn't help but feel like he was a Third Wheel.

"Don't worry, Naruto. You'll find someone, when you least expect it." Sai says, apparently discerning what his friend was feeling at the moment.

"I'm not worried!" The blue eyed ninja protests.

Sai just shakes his head. Well there was no use arguing about it. He had read that in a book once. Sai read that persisting would likely only make Naruto more uncomfortable. As Naruto was his friend, he didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

"Hey guys!" Kiba says as he jogs over with Shino.

"Hey, Kiba. Hey, Shino." Came the chorus of replies.

"I guess it looks like the Uchihas and Hyugas are tolerating each other better these days. Hinata says that it was chaos when they lived together though." Kiba muses.

Shino nods. He couldn't imagine how those two Clans hadn't killed each other. He knew that his own Clan probably would have gone crazy and sicked some fire ants or killer bees on other Clan at some point. His family deeply cherished their privacy. When you had that many people in one place, privacy no longer existed.

"I think they kinda have to. Hinata and Sasuke are together." Naruto says with a shrug.

"Maybe. Don't particularly care for it. I swear to God, if Sasuke hurts her, I will find a way to hurt him ten times worse!" Kiba says.

"Kiba, you know you are more bark than bite in this instance." Shino chides him gently.

Naruto laughed and nodded. Say what you want about the bastard, he was tough. Sasuke also didn't hold back when it came to fights. Kiba would be dog food if he even thought about trying to start something.

"Pft. Please. He aint so tough!" Kiba grumbles.

The next day, Sasuke goes to see Hinata. The bluenette watches her boyfriend curiously. She could tell he was really excited about something. She just wasn't sure what exactly.

"Hinata, you want to go for a walk with me in my District?" He asks.

"Sure?" She replies and almost squeaks when Sasuke excitedly tugs her off.

That wasn't like him. Yes, he was definitely excited about something. He leads her to a section of the Uchiha District she had never really seen before. While these houses were large by most of the village's standards, they were medium or even small by Uchiha standards. (Uchihas tended to have large families, Mikoto and Fugaku as Clan Heads were more the exception than the rule.)

"Sasuke, what are we doing?" She asks.

"I'm showing you my new house." The Uchiha replies and inserts the key into the door of one of them and lets Hinata in.

"You bought a house?" The bluenette asks in a stunned voice.

"My father gave it to me. But yeah, basically. I mean I still have to move stuff in. But other than that, it's all set. Honestly, I think my parents are happy to have their house to them-" Sasuke doesn't get to finish that sentence as Hinata tackle hugs him to the ground.

"This is wonderful news!" She says.

"I thought so to." Sasuke agrees and kisses her.

Hinata couldn't believe it. They were actually going to have some privacy. It did look like a nice house. But she honestly wouldn't have cared if it was a shack. The bluenette just wanted to be able to be alone with her most precious person, without worrying about their family members walking in on them.

"We can't tell my father about this. He'd never let me come here." She whispers.

"Wasn't planning on it. This is our little secret, kitten." Sasuke says with a smirk that made Hinata shiver.

She smiles and nods. Sasuke gently nudges her off of him and shows the bluenette around the place. Hinata noted it had a "master bedroom," four guest rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, what looked like a study, living room, and a laundry room.

"That's a lot of guestrooms." She muses.

"Father probably figures we'll have a big family someday. Better to have too many than not enough." Sasuke says and wraps his arms around her as she looks at the kitchen.

Hinata eeps and blushes. Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. She was such a sweet, innocent kitten. He kisses her cheek.

"Not for awhile and only if you want to, of course." The young Uchiha clarifies.

"G-ood to know. I can't believe he gave you a house." She muses.

"He says it counts as my Christmas and birthday present." Sasuke says.

"For like 20 years!" Hinata states.

"No, just for this year. I think he just said that though to make me sound less spoiled. So if you want to bring anything over, feel free. It's your place to." He continues on.

Hinata smiles and nods. Her mind was swimming with the possibilities. They had absolute privacy here. Thank God, she was going to go insane soon if something didn't change.

"Why are the houses smaller on this side of the District? I mean this house is perfect for us. But I noticed that there is a difference." She asks.

"This is sort of the newlywed section. Houses are smaller because they generally don't have large families yet. They don't mind though. This is the most privacy anyone is going to get in the District. Izumi and Itachi live just down the street. " Sasuke explains.

Hinata nods. Oh well that made sense. She wondered if he had brought any food over yet. She looks in the fridge.

There wasn't much in it. But there was enough to make a few sandwiches. The Hyuga Heiress proceeds with making one.

"Hungry, Kitten?" He asks in amusement.

"I didn't eat breakfast this morning. You want any?" She inquires.

"I'm good." Sasuke answers her and watches her eat.

It was nice. Quiet and private. They didn't have to worry about being walked in on. That meant he could get away with certain things, he would never dream of doing with his family or hers around.

He decides to indulge in it. Sasuke swats her ass lightly. He smirks at her little squeak of surprise. He had been waiting to do that for ages.

"SASUKE!" She cries out in surprise.

"Sorry. Been wanting to do that for awhile." Sasuke smiles and caresses it apologetically.

She blushes deeply. It seemed she wasn't the only one who had been frustrated by the lack of privacy. Then again, Sasuke had always been bolder than she was.

"It's okay. You just surprised me." She mumbles and leans into his arms.

"You did say you liked it when I touched you everywhere." He reminds her with a smug smile, that made the Hyuga Heiress giggle.

Hinata nods shyly. She bit her lower lip as she considers her options. The Hyuga woman could wait and see what he'd do or she could take things further. She summons up all her courage and tugs on his shirt.

Thankfully, Sasuke seems to understand what she desired because he tugs off his shirt the rest of the way. Hinata curiously runs her hands along his chest.

"It's really not fair if I'm the only one who is topless." Sasuke points out in amusement.

"That's true." She says and slowly slides her shirt over her head.

Sasuke smiles. He knew that Hinata was a shy kitten. She just needed some coaxing. That's when he saw the red silk bra. Or not..

Maybe she wasn't that shy after all. Well they always did say, that it was always the quiet ones. He gets behind her and unhooks her bra.

"You're beautiful. Hold that thought. Just in case, I'm looking the damn door." He mutters and heads off to do exactly that.

Sasuke knew his luck. This time, no one was going to interrupt them. He locks the door rather determinedly with that thought in mind, as he makes his way back to his soon to be lover.


	19. Chapter 19

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys like this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Yeah this is basically the lemon chapter lol. Warnings will be put up before and after lemon though. This contains some adult language and naughtiness. So if you prefer a more innocent style of romance, you might want to skip this one. You have been warned lol.

Chapter 19

"I really hope Hiashi doesn't find out you gave him a house." Mikoto muses to her husband.

"He's not going to find out. He never comes to the District and Hinata is the only Hyuga that does. Well other than Hanabi. But Hanabi only comes here to try to figure out how Kita does his signature jutsu." He replies.

The Uchiha Matriarch nods and stifles a giggle. They were really so cute together. Hanabi was naturally sassy and bossy. Kita was well more laid back. Mikoto had decided they would either end up like Sasuke and Hinata eventually or kill each other. Thankfully, none of their jutsus were lethal at this point.

"You're right. He's not going to find out and by the time he does, Sasuke will have probably proposed anyway. Now if only we could find someone for Shisui." Mikoto continues.

"Oh good lord, don't get me started on that boy. A fine ninja and loyal clansman, but he's almost as big a skirt chaser as Jirayia was." Fugaku chuckles.

Mikoto couldn't disagree with that assessment. Oh well. There was someone out there for everyone. Shisui just liked to "play the field," she supposed.

She smiles. Not everyone could be like her husband and boys. Most people didn't find their most precious person so early and settle down before they were 25.

"That may be true. But there is someone out there for everyone. I'm still surprised you gave him a house." She observes.

"Boy deserves some privacy. Besides, I'd be a hypocrite if I forbid it. My father was quite…liberal in his approach to parenting, but your father had to be the strictest man that I had ever met. It's a wonder he even allowed me to hold your hand and walk you around the village, without chaperones." Fugaku states as his eyes dance with amusement.

Mikoto just shakes her head. There were chaperones, just really stealthy ones. She supposed it was alright to tell her husband now. It had happened years ago.

"There were. You just didn't notice them. You were too busy looking at my legs." She says with a smile.

"…" Fugaku is speechless.

He couldn't tell if his wife was jesting or not. Was she serious? He didn't know what was more disturbing. The fact that the man had sent chaperones or that he hadn't noticed them.

Fugaku prided himself on his abilities as a ninja. One of the most important things that a ninja could do, was to be aware of their surroundings at all times. If you weren't, it could mean an early death.

"No, my love. I'm not joking. He really did send some ANBU after us, to trail us." Mikoto continues.

"Unbelievable. Well in any case, we still managed to find time to be alone." He mutters.

"That we did. Teenagers will always find a way to get into all sorts of mischief, no matter what." She replies with a knowing smile.

Fugaku nods and smirks. Oh yes, he remembered their teenage years (well mostly his early twenties and her late teenage years) fondly. Good times. Good times. That is how you got an Itachi.

Of course they had waited until after they were married to have their eldest son. But it was very enjoyable to practice beforehand! It looked like Hinata and Sasuke would be the same way.

"Speaking of that, why don't we go out tonight? It seems things have settled in the District and now that the Truth Jutsu is no longer causing chaos, we can relax." He suggests.

"That sounds like a fine idea to me." Mikoto says and walks off with her husband.

Mikoto and Fugaku were far from the only couple having fun in the Uchiha District though. Back at Sasuke's new home, the door had been firmly locked and he darts back over to his kitten. Finally, they could be together without worrying about being walked in on.

"Really liking the red silk, by the way." He comments as he wraps one arm around her waist and slowly slides off the bra.

"G-lad you like it. I figured since you are from a Fire Clan and the Sharingan is red, you might like the color." She says.

Honestly, Sasuke just thought the red looked sexy against her ample creamy cleavage. He didn't really overanalyze it. But it was sweet that she did. He smiles and kisses her cheek.

"I just like the way it looks on you. But now that you mention it, I do appreciate the symbolism." Sasuke tells her.

"Oh good." She mumbles and was suddenly grateful for the fact he was standing behind her and hadn't gotten the full view yet.

She really wished she didn't blush so easily. Hinata was a ninja. Ninjas weren't supposed to blush this much. Sasuke didn't seem to mind though.

Sasuke decided it was probably best to go slow. Neither of them had done this before. Hinata was bashful by nature. So he knew just her standing around topless was a big deal for her.

"Such a sweet, innocent kitten." He murmurs and places a trail of kisses along her neck.

"Nhh." She lets out a soft sigh of pleasure and arches back against him.

That felt nice. The bluenette couldn't see it, but she was almost certain that Sasuke was smirking against her skin. He was rather pleased with himself, it seemed.

Sasuke continues the sensual necking and glides one of his hands over her bare breasts. He had caressed her before once like that. But she had still been clothed. So this was different. Her skin was so warm and soft. He nips her neck lightly and delights in the little gasp she made when he touched her there.

"You're really sensitive." He observes and promptly sets about trying to coax some more sounds from her.

He liked the sigh and gasp. But Sasuke was feeling more ambitious now. The Uchiha wanted to hear some moans. He just had to figure out what would inspire such a reaction from her.

"Maybe a little." Hinata concedes as she leans back against him.

There was just something incredibly erotic about being held by him like this. She could feel his bare skin against hers. The gentle caress to her breasts felt so good and so did the feeling of his lips against her neck.

"I want you." He whispers hotly into her ear and as if to emphasize his point, he brushes his arousal against her clothed backside.

He might still have pants on. But there really was NO mistaking that he was very sincere about wanting her. That definitely wasn't a kunai or sword she felt against her ass.

She shivers. Sasuke was really good with his voice. No one had ever held her that closely or dared to brush against her like THAT before.

"I want you to." Hinata whispers and was rather proud of herself for not stuttering.

"Good. Just tell me what you like and what you don't like." He murmurs and kisses her neck.

"Alright." She mews cutely and Sasuke notes that she was performing the hand signs to perform the Jutsu.

Sasuke did want children with Hinata eventually. But he knew that if he got her pregnant outside of wedlock, Hiashi would kill him long before he ever got to see their child. That was unacceptable. So he was grateful Hinata had the presence of mind to remember to cast that Jutsu.

He certainly hadn't at the moment. In his defense though, a topless Hinata certainly was very distracting sight. His grandmother had once warned him that men had two heads and could only think with one of them at a time. That was definitely true, he mused.

 **Warning Lemon**

"Smart kitten." He praises her and continues caressing her breasts with one hand, as his other tugs off her pants.

He smiles as he took a moment to admire her lovely long legs. Those were gorgeous. They were going to look so beautiful wrapped around him as he…Sasuke mentally slapped himself. If he wanted to make this last, it wasn't a smart idea to let his imagination get three or four steps ahead of him.

"Thanks." She mumbles and turns around so she was facing him.

Hinata was clad only in a red silky thong and Sasuke only had on his pants and probably some boxers, she guessed. Sasuke captures her lips in a heated kiss and seems intent on completely claiming her mouth.

He clearly wasn't hold anything back now. His kiss was passionate and possessive. She felt one of his hands squeeze her ass and the other wrap around her back, holding her securely in place.

Hinata moans into the kiss and returns it with equal intensity. God that felt good. Shyly she glides her tongue against his. Sasuke was anything but shy though. The bluenette was more than content to let him take the lead in the kiss.

"I like that." She says a little breathless once she broke the kiss.

"So did I." He agrees and Hinata notices his eyes were now ruby red.

The bluenette shocks herself by sliding off his pants. She blushes deeply when she discovers he hadn't worn anything underneath them that day. Hinata got an eyeful.

"What can I say? I was feeling hopeful." Sasuke tells her with a smirk and picks her up Bridal Style, flitting off towards the master bedroom.

Sometimes ninja speed had its advantages. One of them was getting to the bedroom quickly, when things heated up. Very quickly. She doubted more than five seconds had passed from the time he scooped her up, to the time he gently laid her on the bed.

"You mean you planned this?" She asks with a giggle and pulls him onto the bed with her, liking the way his body completely dwarfed hers with his strength and warmth.

"Mhm. Yeah. After my father told me that he was giving me my own place, I made sure the bedroom was set up and then got you." He says and slowly slides off the thong.

Sasuke felt a bit like a kid in a candy shop at the moment. There was just so much that he could _play_ with. He kisses her neck and then begins to move south, covering her breasts with butterfly kisses and gentle nips.

He couldn't resist flicking his tongue against a nipple and smirks when he heard her gasp. Then he starts lightly suckling and glides his hands along the flat planes of her stomach, ever so slowly inching lower.

Hinata gasps and moans. She had never felt anything like it. There was nothing she could really compare to the feeling of his mouth against her breasts like that and his hands exploring her. She arches in pleasure and runs her fingers through his dark hair. God that felt good.

"I want to be able to touch you to." She whispers and Sasuke blinks when he was soon laying flat on his back.

"S-ounds good to me." He says and Hinata giggles, she doubted that Sasuke Uchiha stuttered much in his life before.

Hinata smiles. She looks down at him. The bluenette felt her face heating up when she saw everything all at once. Thank God, he had his own house now. She wasn't sure how much long she would have lasted before driven insane with longing.

She glides her hands over his chest, lingering over his abs. The Hyuga Heiress knew that his neck was sensitive. So she starts by sucking on his collarbone and then grasps his arousal in her hand.

"Hin-ata!" He pants out and bucks into her hand instinctively.

She did so gently at first. Hinata had never done this before. So she didn't know where the line between pain and pleasure was exactly. But judging by the sounds Sasuke was making, they were still firmly in the pleasure category.

"I really don't know how this is going to fit.." She mumbles.

Sasuke kisses her hotly and assures her that it was definitely going to fit. Fuck that felt good. Her soft hands wrapped around his cock, felt unbelievably good. If that was just a hand job, he couldn't imagine what actually being inside her would be like.

Hinata moans into the kiss and continues stroking gently. The bluenette enjoyed the groans and moans he'd release into the kiss when she touched him. It made her feel really powerful to know she could have that much of an effect on him.

"Hinata, stop. I want to taste you." He tells her.

She blushes and nods. The Hyuga Heiress bit her lower lip. She wanted to make him feel good to. But wasn't exactly sure how to say that. So Hinata decides just to show it.

She quickly changes her position so that her womanhood was by his mouth and the bluenette was facing his very impressive erection. On second thought, maybe this was a bad idea. There was no way that she could fit all of that into her mouth. But she had heard some Branch Members giggling once about the topic. They all said that their partners really enjoyed receiving oral sex. Sasuke was clearly offering, it was only fair she do the same.

"You sure?" Sasuke asks and blinks.

He hadn't expected his kitten to offer THAT. It seemed very well not Hinata-like. Then again, he wasn't a fucking idiot. He wasn't going to argue if she was willing…

She nods shyly and wraps her mouth around the tip of his arousal. That was when Sasuke's brain shut off completely. He groans and turns his attention towards trying to return the favor. His tongue glides along her womanhood roughly and he heard her mouth around his cock.

He smirks, deciding that he must be doing something right. So he licks her again and rubs her clit. He lets out a strangled moan when she sucks harder and begins to stroke what wasn't in her mouth.

"Fuck!" He pants out and continues making love to her with his mouth and barely manages to keep from ravishing her throat.

Hinata moans and writhes against him. It felt so good. Her lower half was soaked with desire. The bluenette takes more of him into her mouth. She sucks harder and licks. Sasuke did seem to like being licked, she noticed he would squirm more when she did it.

It didn't take long for either of them to be overwhelmed. Hinata cries out in pleasure as she came. Fortunately, Sasuke was able to wiggle away from her at the last minute, to prevent what he considered to be a rather embarrassing incident.

"W-ow. D-efinitely should have gotten the house sooner." He pants out.

"Y-eah." Hinata agrees and shocks Sasuke by kissing him.

He kisses back happily and holds her closely. Both of them still riding the high of their orgasm. After a few minutes, he brushes the bangs away from her face tenderly.

"Do you want to go further?" He asks.

Hinata thought that was the dumbest question she had ever heard in her life. She supposed that it was nice that he was gentlemanly enough to ask, but she thought the answer was rather obvious. She shakes her head and pins him to the bed, straddling his waist.

"I'll take that as a yes." He replies with a smirk, trying to hide how stunned he was at her boldness.

"It's a yes." She agrees and curiously brushes her womanhood over his arousal.

They both let out a loud moan. Hinata decides that felt good. She bit her lower lip and slowly slides onto him. She lets out a quiet whimper of pain.

Sasuke leans up and kisses her. Her lover caresses her breasts and toys with her clit, trying to distract her. He knew that it was only natural that there would be some pain. He didn't like it though.

She was hot, tight, and wet. This was even better than her sucking him off. (Which was something of a miracle, as that had felt fucking fantastic.) He had to use every ounce of willpower he had ever possessed not to just grab her, bend her over the bed, and claim her like an animal.

"It's okay." She whispers and gently rocks her hips, after awhile.

It was hard to describe the sensation. At first, it hurt a bit. But she knew that was because she hadn't done this before and he was rather large. It felt better when she moved though and Sasuke's administrations were quickly overriding any further discomfort.

"Thank God." He mutters and thrusts up into his new lover.

Glorious. She was simply glorious. The way her dark blue hair spilled around her as she rode him. Her gorgeous breasts bouncing and the sight of her creamy white skin flushed a rosy pink color with desire. He loved every sound she made and how fucking good it felt to be inside her.

She moans and throws her head back in pleasure, when he hit something inside her that made her see stars. She couldn't describe it exactly, other than euphoria.

"Hold on tightly, kitten." He murmurs, realizing what he found and he slams into that spot over and over again.

The two lovers were soon moving as one. Both lost in pleasure. If you had asked either of them their own name at the moment, neither would have been able to tell you. All that mattered was how good it felt to finally be together. It didn't take long for them both to fall over the edge and cry out their most precious person's name, as they climaxed together.

Sasuke pulls out of his lover. The Uchiha pulls her down, so they were both laying on their sides and snuggled up closely together. Both were panting and enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking.

 **End of Lemon**

"Mmm I think this is my new favorite place in the village." Hinata says as she snuggles into her new lover.

"Mine to." Sasuke agrees.

"I love you." She whispers.

"I love you to and I really like being able to prove that without worry about our very nosey family members. I love them, but…" He trails off.

Hinata nods. It had driven her crazy to. She giggles and kisses his cheek, snuggling into him more.

"I know." She replies and Sasuke smiles, resting his head on top of hers.

Meanwhile Hiashi was back at the Hyuga Estate, he frowns. Hinata had been gone for a long time now. Longer than usual. He wondered what they were doing. Then he told himself that he was being silly. They were surrounded by hundreds of Uchihas. It wasn't like they were going to do more than kiss.

"Your tea, Lord Hiashi." One of the Branch Member women says as she arrives, carrying the tea tray.

"Oh yes. Thank you. Have you heard anything from Sasuke or Hinata?" He replies and takes his tea.

"Oh I haven't heard anything since they left this morning. He was taking her to the Uchiha District. She's quite the lucky girl to have a boyfriend who looks like that. If I was ten years younger…" She trails off.

Hiashi sighs. Wonderful. The Uchihas were rubbing off on his clansmen and clanswomen. Could no one conduct themselves properly anymore?

"I see. Well thank you. That will be all for today." He says and waves his hand, dismissing her.

She leaves. Once you were dismissed by Lord Hiashi, it was a good idea to get your butt moving. He did not take kindly to people who wasted his time.

Hinata seemed rather happy with Sasuke. It was certainly helping to bridge the divide between the Clans. But still, she was his daughter. Hinata was his first child as well. It was only natural, he supposed that he felt overprotective.

"He's a good boy. It's not like he's Shisui. It's not as if he's ravishing her right now or anything like that. I am being silly." He mutters to himself and sips his tea.

He likely would have had the same feeling, no matter who was courting her. At least, he knew that Sasuke came from a powerful family. Unfortunately, it looked like it was a powerful family filled with perverts. Thankfully, at least Sasuke was respectable.

For Godsakes, Mikoto of all people seemed to like to play with handcuffs. He never would have expected that from the normally sweet and demure woman that he vaguely knew. Well if nothing else, at least he knew that Uchihas were largely monogamous creatures. So that was good.

"If he hurts her in any way, I swear that I will lock up all his chakra points." He mutters.

"If who hurts who?" Neji asks as he comes into his Uncle's study.

"Oh forgive me, Neji. I was talking to myself. I am afraid it's becoming a habit of late. What did you need?" The Hyuga Patriarch asks.

Neji wasn't sure how to broach this subject. Hiashi had approved of the match after all. The man rarely changed his mind. But still he should at least try, for Hinata's sake.

"I have to admit that I am uneasy about Hinata's relationship with Sasuke. Our Clans have only begun to improve relations. If their relationship goes poorly, all of that will likely be lost. That and I just don't think he is suitable for her. Hinata deserves someone gentler." He states.

"I've also had my misgivings. But thus far, as I said before, he appears to be conducting himself properly. I think in time, it will become a good match. You need not worry. Hinata is a grown woman now. She can handle herself. She is after all, a Jonin and a medic." Hiashi says with a smile.

Neji nods. He knew that pressing the issue further, was likely a bad idea. Lord Hiashi had given his verdict and his word was final. He politely excuses himself and heads off.

"This won't end well. I need to talk some sense into her. Nothing good will ever come from an Uchiha and Hyuga mixing like that." He mutters.

Neji blinks when he heard giggling. He goes to investigate. It was Shisui and he was flirting with some Hyuga women, in a rather outrageous fashion. (Well at least in Neji's mind.)

"…" Neji is speechless.

He looks up at the sky as if to ask, _"Why?"_ Had everyone taken complete leave of their senses? First, Sasuke and Hinata. Now Shisui was seducing Hyuga women. This was getting ridiculous!

Neji was glad that the Clans were getting along better. But he could only foresee disaster if the two children of the Clan Heads continued seeing each other. Surely, there had to be a way to avoid a crisis. Good thing he was a genius. He would come up with something.


	20. Chapter 20

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** Some of our readers, wanted their drama. So there is going to be a rather uncomfortable argument in this one. Yes, yes I know that everyone is going to want one of the participants to pay. **Remember, I only write happy endings.**

Chapter 20

Hinata was laying, curled up in her lover's arms. She noticed the Sun was setting and her eyes widen. She had been with him the ENTIRE day. Her father was probably going to be worried sick.

"Kitten, what's wrong?" Sasuke asks in concern.

"It's getting late. I should probably go." She mumbles quickly and scrambles to her feet.

Sasuke pulls her back down and pins her underneath him. He smiles and kisses her. The Uchiha then brushes her bangs away from her face and breaks the kiss long enough to say the following.

"I don't want you to go." He informs her and looks at her with those ruby red eyes that indicated Sasuke might actually be up for a round two already.

"I have to though. I don't want father to worry. You know him. If I'm gone too long, he might actually send someone to look for me. What if they find out about your new place? Then we'll never get any privacy again." The bluenette warns him, after returning his kiss.

He didn't like it. But he knew she was right. It was better to let her scurry off home now. They'd see each other soon enough.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I promise." Hinata says as she quickly gets dressed.

"Good." Sasuke replies and stands up, giving her a soft kiss to the back of the neck and holding her for a few moments after she finished dressing.

Hinata smiles and leans into the hold. It was so hard to leave him. Speaking of hard, she blinks. Yes, he definitely would have been UP to continuing their lovemaking, if what she felt against her backside was any indication.

"I guess all that fighting with Naruto did pay off. Your stamina is amazing." She mumbles with a blush.

Sasuke kisses her cheek. She really was such an adorable kitten. He knew that was the Hyuga Heiress's version of a joke, but she said it in such a shy way that any sarcasm or slyness was lost in the delivery.

"Yeah. Guess I'll have to thank the loser at some point. Maybe not though. I don't want it to go to his head. You want me to walk you home?" Sasuke asks.

"You can't walk me home like that. You're still naked!" Hinata exclaims and Sasuke looks down, noting that she was correct.

He chuckles. The Uchiha could just imagine the looks he would get if he streaked across the Hyuga Estate. He smirks at the mental picture. It would be hilarious. But while funny, it wasn't worth risking his relationship with Hinata over.

The Hyugas were a very prim and proper Clan. Well at least they were in public. In private, apparently Hinata could be very NOT proper.

"Well obviously, I would get dressed first and then walk you home." Sasuke gently teases his lover.

"Oh in that case, it'd be okay." Hinata replies and smiles brightly.

"Though it would be funny to see their reaction, if I just showed up naked. I mean I already suspect some of them use their Byakugan to see through clothes anyway. I might as well save them the trouble." He muses.

"SASUKE! They wouldn't do that! We respect other people's privacy and would never use our bloodline that way!" Hinata protests.

Sasuke gives Hinata a look. It said, _"Really? You actually expect me to believe that?"_ He shakes his head at Hinata's innocence.

"If you say so." The dark haired man states and swiftly throws on his clothes, takes his beloved's hand in his, and heads out the door with her.

"Alright. Maybe a couple of them have. Once or twice. You know adolescent curiosity! But it's not like it's a regular thing and I'm sure they wouldn't dare do such a thing to you. You are the son of the head of the Uchiha Clan. They wouldn't dare risk it." She mumbles and walks alongside him.

Sasuke smirks. He knew he had won that argument. He knew the prim and proper thing was more an actual for public appearances than anything else. A Clan didn't get THAT large, if everyone was so modest all the time. It was just common sense.

"But you admit that they would, if they thought they could get away with it." Sasuke says smugly.

"S-asuke, that was not the point and you know it." The bluenette stammers out quickly.

"The point is that I love you and your family is filled with closet perverts. That's okay though. My family is just a little bit more open about their eccentricities. I am still scarred about that handcuff thing with my parents. Stupid Truth Jutsu probably traumatized me for life." He mutters.

Hinata giggles. It was funny to see the expression on his face. She supposed some things were universal, no matter what Clan you were from. Hearing about your parents' sex lives and being traumatized by it, was just one of those things.

"Well it wasn't their fault. You know how thorough the Truth Jutsu was. It impacted us all." She reminds him.

"I know. I just really didn't need to hear the details." Sasuke responds and Hinata nods, walking towards the Hyuga Estate with him.

Once they arrive, Sasuke couldn't help but admire the grandness of the place. He knew that Hyugas were a proud people. They did love to showcase their power and wealth and they did so, excessively. It was almost like a fairytale castle complete with palace grounds.

His own house felt like an apartment in comparison and it was a fairly large house by most people's standards. Sometimes, he wondered how Hinata could actually live there and not get lost. He kisses her cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow, kitten. Try not to get lost in that maze." Sasuke teases her.

"I'll manage. I've lived here all my life, after all." She says with a smile and kisses his cheek, before bounding off into the Hyuga Estate.

Sasuke smiles as he watches her leave. God, she was beautiful. He couldn't wait until tomorrow. He decides to head off, before he was seen by anyone else.

"Ah Hinata, there you are. I was getting a little worried." Hiashi says as he greets his eldest daughter.

"Sorry, father. Sasuke and I just lost track of time. We didn't mean to worry you." She replies and lowers her head in contrition.

"It's alright. I know how it can be when you are young and in love. Come, let's join the others for dinner." He states and wraps his arm around the small of her back, guiding her to the Dining Room.

They were soon seated and eating. Hinata noticed another Main House member was glaring at her when he thought her father wasn't looking. She frowns. The Heiress couldn't think of anything she would have done to upset him. They had rarely spoken.

"Sister, are you not hungry?" Hanabi asks, oblivious to her sister's unease.

"Oh not really. I'm sorry, I ate before coming home. It just seemed rude to refuse a meal offered by my host." She apologizes quickly, not wanting to give the real reason why she wasn't enjoying her meal.

"Oh okay." Her sister responds, seeming to believe her flimsy excuse and returns her attention back to her own food.

After dinner, she decides to see what was wrong. Hinata approaches the man named Tenji. He had long black hair and the trademark Hyuga eyes. For a Hyuga, he had a surprisingly stocky build.

"Is something wrong, cousin Tenji?" She asks.

"Yes, there is something wrong. I can't believe you are letting an Uchiha court you. Are you out of your mind?! It was bad enough that we had to live with them! But you actually want to mix OUR blood with THEIRS?!" He demands.

"Tenji, Sasuke and I have been together for weeks. Why are you so upset about this now?" Hinata demands, stunned at his reaction.

Tenji twitches. He thought she would see reason. He could understand a young girl being won over a "pretty face." But this was ridiculous. The fantasy should have worn off by now.

"I thought by now, it would be over. Hinata, I get that he's attractive. But he is an UCHIHA. They are all insane. The blood of Madara runs through his veins. It's only a matter of time before he succumbs to madness and the same is true for the rest of that cursed clan! I can't believe you would allow him to touch you. End this now. At least there are no children involved." He mutters.

Hinata blinks. She didn't know what to say to that. She knew that before the meetings, things were bad between the Clans. But she didn't realize that there was such hatred buried underneath.

"He's not insane and I'm not ending it. I love him and he loves me. I hope in time, you'll come to respect that." She says and turns to head off.

"You know the only reason that anyone is indulging this lunacy is because you are Hiashi's daughter. Do you think the rest of our Clan would do anything but shun you, if you weren't? You have allowed yourself to become an Uchiha's plaything! You're disgracing the Main House of our family AND the Branch House. I just hope he's sterile or you are barren. I can't bare the thought of a half breed." He snarls at her.

Hinata was stunned. She couldn't believe he was saying such things. Apparently, they weren't alone though.

"How DARE you speak to Lady Hinata in such a fashion?!" Neji snarls at him and slams his fist into Tenji's back stunning him.

"It's the TRUTH! Someone has to say it. You don't like him anymore than I do!" Tenji groans in pain and readies himself for a fight.

He knew that his chances of winning against Neji were slim to none. Neji was the prodigy of the Clan. But he had to try. He had to protect his family in the only way he knew how.

Tenji couldn't understand why Hiashi had sanctioned such a relationship. But someone had to step in. Someone had to protect their family's honor. It looked like it was going to be him.

"That's true. I most certainly do not approve of the relationship. But Hinata is our family. She deserves more respect than you have given her today. Lord Hiashi approved of the courtship. While I don't like it, I will respect his decision. Would I prefer it, if they weren't together? Yes, I would. But to speak to her in such a way is completely unforgivable." Neji growls.

"Please! Stop fighting!" Hinata pleads.

"Very well Lady Hinata. I do hope you come to your senses before it is too late." Tenji mutters and storms off.

Neji sighs. He wraps his arms around his now silently sobbing cousin. He didn't like Sasuke. That much he'd freely admit, but he hated to see Hinata like this. She didn't deserve it. She might have questionable taste in men, but she was a good person. She didn't deserve to be treated like THAT.

"I am so sorry." He whispers.

"You hate him as well." Hinata says in an almost accusing tone.

"I don't particularly like him. But I don't hate him. I just don't think he is good enough for you. Rest assured though, Tenji is in the minority. Our Clan doesn't feel that way about you." The lavender eyed man tries to soothe her.

Hinata sighs. She leans into Neji's comforting embrace. It seemed that things wouldn't be as easy as she and Sasuke had allowed themselves to be. She wasn't going to leave him, but it still hurt to know Tenji felt that way and likely so did others.

Meanwhile Sasuke was unaware of his beloved's distress. He was showing Itachi and Shisui around his new home. Shisui called it his bachelor pad.

"Oh I doubt it will stay that way very long." Itachi muses.

"Can't blame him. She is a pretty little thing, even if her Clan is a bunch of cold fish!" Shisui says cheerfully.

"Don't talk about Hinata's family like that." Sasuke warns Shisui and he puts up his hands in an _"I Surrender,"_ gesture.

Shisui really hopes Sasuke wouldn't fly off the handle. He had only been teasing. But his baby cousin was really protective of his Hyuga Princess. Sasuke was definitely in love big time.

"Alright. Alright. Well it is a nice place. I still can't believe Fugaku gave you a fucking house." Shisui muses.

"Neither can I. But it's perfect." Sasuke says with a smile, his earlier irritation forgotten for the moment.

Itachi smiles. He was sure that Sasuke was relieved to have his own place. Though he expected, he would be an uncle in the relatively near future.

"Have you shown it to Hinata yet?" He asks curiously.

"Yeah. I did. She loves it to. She's going to come back again tomorrow." His brother says and was positively beaming.

Itachi shakes his head in amusement. Well it seemed his foolish little brother actually figured out how _kunais and pouches_ worked. That was the smile of a man who had just gotten laid.

"So guess you guys are getting along really well." Shisui says and couldn't resist snickering.

Sasuke gives him a dirty look. He smacks his cousin upside the head for that snicker. He knew where his filthy mind was going. He needed to be put in his place sometimes. (It didn't matter that Shisui was likely accurate in his imagination about how well they were getting along, he still needed smacked.)

"Pervert!" He mutters in disgust.

"I didn't even say anything." Shisui protests and rubs the back of his head as he whines.

"You were thinking it though. Sasuke was right to smack you. Really, Shisui? Mind your manners." Itachi chides him gently.

Unbelievable. Shisui gives Itachi a look of disbelief. He was being scolded for thinking the obvious? He knew that Itachi was thinking it to. The man was just better at keeping a Poker Face than him. That wasn't fair. Itachi should get smacked as well!

"Oh like you weren't." The other Uchiha grumbles.

"Me? I would never have such thoughts about my baby brother and his lover." Itachi replies and feigns an innocent look.

Sasuke twitches. How did Itachi know that Hinata was his lover? He had better not have been spying on them! That was just creepy and he would not put up with it!

"Were you SPYING on us?!" Sasuke demands in a growl.

"No. I would never do that. Why on earth would I want to watch my brother during THAT? It's just rather obvious. There's a certain smugness about you that can only be the result of making love to your little Hyuga Princess. That's all." Itachi says sagely.

Sasuke blushes. Seriously? They could actually tell? Damnit! If they could tell, Hiashi would probably be able to as well. That wouldn't end well.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it will go away after a day or two. Lord Hiashi doesn't need to know." His elder brother says, apparently deciding to take some pity on him.

The youngest Uchiha sighs in relief. Well that was good. He knew that if Hinata's found out, they'd both be toast. He didn't regret it, not for one second. But he also kinda wanted to live long enough to see his next birthday.

"Good to know." He says.

Itachi laughs. He smiles and pokes Sasuke's forehead. His little brother would forever be adorable in his mind. It didn't matter that he was a man now. He'd always be that little kid with the huge bubble eyes that used to follow him around everywhere, to Itachi.

"But I am happy you found someone. Plus you two are likely doing more to improve Clan relations than anyone else. It's a good thing. Oh and have you seen Kita lately?" Itachi asks him.

"No. Not really. Why do you ask?" Sasuke inquires.

Shisui shakes his head in amusement. It was cute really. He suspected it was puppy love. Sasuke had been a little busy with Hinata, so it wasn't surprising he hadn't noticed yet.

"Seems like you aren't the only one with a thing for Hyuga women." Shisui muses.

"Wait what? What does that have to do with Kita?" The younger Uchiha asks in confusion.

"Kita and Hanabi have been training together, a lot. I think he's got a crush. But he's like you. He's too stubborn to admit that right now." Shisui says.

Sasuke glowers at that comment. Alright, so it had taken him awhile to act on his attraction to Hinata. But that was mostly because of Clan relations. It wasn't like he was oblivious like Naruto was!

"Relax, Sasuke. What matters is you finally got over your denial." Itachi says and Sasuke twitches.

The next day, Hinata came to see him. Sasuke immediately knew something was wrong. Her face was red. He blinks and rushes over to her.

"What happened?" He asks.

"I don't really want to talk about it." She mumbles and wraps her arms around his neck, leaning into him.

Had she been CRYING?! It looked like she had been crying. When he got his hands on whoever made her cry, he was going to Chidori them into a billion little pieces.

"Hinata." He says gently and rests his head on top of hers.

"It will only make you upset. I don't want that. Let's just enjoy our time together. You can distract me. You are very good at that." She says with a brave smile.

He sighs and kisses her head. Sasuke knew he couldn't just leave it at that. He had to know what had upset his kitten.

"Tell me what's wrong." Her lover says and brushes the bangs from her eyes.

"One of my family members doesn't approve of our relationship." She mumbles.

Sasuke resisted the impulse to say, _"So?"_ Hinata was a kind person. She actually cared what other people thought of her. Sasuke well not so much. If you weren't Hinata, from his Clan, or on his team, he didn't really care. Hinata was just wired differently than him in that respect.

"Well Hinata, your Clan is massive. It was kinda a given at least one of your family members wasn't going to be happy about us. What happened? Why did it upset you to the point of tears? And don't bother denying that you have been crying. I can see it all over your face." He murmurs.

"This was more vicious than the usual objections. It was so cruel. It wasn't fair to you or your family. He called me your plaything and said we shouldn't mix. That we should end it before children were involved." She stammers out and Sasuke holds her tightly.

Yeah, he was going to get a name out of here. Then he was going to kill this son of a bitch, for making her cry. His plaything?! He called Hinata his plaything and insulted their future children?! Forget about a billion pieces, there wasn't going to be anything left, by the time he was done with him.

"What's his name?" Sasuke asks.

"Sasuke, I'm not going to tell you that. You'll probably attack him or something." Hinata tells him.

"There is no probably involved. There is only a WILL. He upset you. He had no right to speak to you that way. His issue is with ME, not with you. He should take it up with me, like a man. Instead he torments you, like a coward." Sasuke growls.

Hinata bites her lower lip. She knew she shouldn't have told Sasuke. It was nice that he was so protective, but she didn't want anyone to get hurt. Maybe Tenji would come to see reason in time. But he wasn't going to, if Sasuke killed him before that happened.

"Sasuke, I am asking you not to say or do anything about this. For me?" The bluenette pleads with her lover.

He sighs. His kitten was far too forgiving sometimes. He really didn't now how she did it. Sasuke holds her tightly and nods.

"Alright. But if he says anything like that about you or me within my earshot, he's a dead man walking." The Uchiha assures her.

Hinata nods and snuggles into him. She felt guilty about ruining their time together. They should be focused on each other, on Tenji.

"You hungry?" Sasuke asks as he runs his fingers through her hair. He really did love her hair. It was such a beautiful color and so silky. He particularly liked how it would sway when they made love. It was like a waterfall. Very poetic.

"A little." She says.

"Good. I made us breakfast." He says and leads her to the kitchen.

"That was really sweet of you." Hinata replies with a smile and eeps when Sasuke sits down and pulls her into his lap.

He smiles. Hinata was really too adorable sometimes. God, he loved her. And if Sasuke ever found out who upset her, he such a fucking dead man.

"Comfortable?" He asks with a smirk and Hinata nods shyly, blushing slightly.

"Good." He states and begins eating with her.

Now that he knew what she could do with her mouth, it was a surprisingly difficult task just to eat breakfast with her. It should have been a rather innocent activity. But his thoughts were anything but.

Idly, he mused that he was turning into Shisui. He couldn't even have a meal with Hinata without thinking about sex. In his defense though, the night before had been incredible and Sasuke was eager to continue getting to know each other in the most carnal sense possible.

"You are a really good cook." Hinata says after awhile.

"Thanks." Sasuke replies and nibbles on a bit of toast, glancing at Hinata with ruby red eyes.

She blushes. They were just eating breakfast. Hinata wasn't sure what had excited Sasuke. But then again, maybe he just had a naturally high sex drive. It might be genetic. The Uchiha Clan was as large as her own.

"I really am sorry about what happened. You shouldn't have had to go through with that." Her lover whispers and caresses her cheek.

"It was bound to happen. There are centuries of tension between our Clans. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I should have seen it coming." The bluenette mumbles, feeling a little embarrassed.

Sasuke shakes his head. Hinata was too kind. He knew that if he let her, she'd probably blame herself for this. It wasn't her fault and he wasn't going to let her think it was.

"It's not your fault. It's his fault. He can't put the past behind him. If your father can approve of our relationship, then he should learn to do the same. By questioning it, he is indirectly questioning Lord Hiashi. Perhaps you should remind him of that fact?" Sasuke suggests.

"Maybe I should." Hinata agrees.

The Hyuga Heiress suddenly felt much better. It was easy to feel that way around him. Sasuke always made her feel safe and cherished in a way that she couldn't quite articulate. She loved him and she wasn't going to give him up because of one person's disapproval.

The bluenette hoped that they would find a way to make everyone understand. She knew that things were still tense between the Clans. But surely, they could find a way to help with that? She decides not to worry about it further for the rest of the day though. She was just going to enjoy her day with Sasuke.


	21. Chapter 21

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** I remember seeing Hinata call Neji brother at the Chunin Exams, even though they are cousins. So I am using the term cousin in this rather generically. Basically in this interpretation of things, the Hyugas would refer to any other Hyuga as "cousin," if they weren't more closely related than that.

Chapter 21

A few days later, Sasuke sighs. He could easily make Hinata forget about Tenji and any other disapproving members of her family, when she was with him. But he knew it was getting to her. His kitten wasn't nearly as good as hiding her emotions, as she liked to believe. She just had too _honest of a face_ to get away with that.

"That was not a sigh of contentment. I would have thought you would still be overjoyed about the house and spending time with your intended." Fugaku says as he walks over to his youngest son to speak with him.

Mikoto had scolded him for deciding to check up on Sasuke of course. Fugaku was more subtle about it, but he could be just as overprotective as his wife. He just wouldn't let anyone actually know that.

"Oh I am. The house is beautiful and we appreciate the privacy. It's just Hinata is upset because some of her family doesn't approve of our relationship. She won't tell me who, but some bastard made her cry." Sasuke mutters and barely holds back a snarl.

Now it was Fugaku's turn to sigh. Honestly, he had expected it. He was only surprised that it hadn't happened sooner. That of course didn't make it any easier for Sasuke or the shy Hyuga woman, but he digressed.

"Tensions have been high between our Clans for generations. I would be surprised if there weren't any Hyuga Clan members who objected. Some of which are naturally going to be cruel in how they voice their objections. I am sorry that she had to go through that. She does seem like a very sweet girl." Fugaku offers.

"She is. Hinata refuses to give me the scum's name." Sasuke mutters in irritation.

The Uchiha Patriarch chuckles. It was not difficult to see WHY that was the case. Hinata likely didn't want Sasuke to kill the son of a bitch. He probably would have. (Fugaku knew he would have, if he was in the same situation as his youngest son.)

"Hinata understands that having you murder a Hyuga, won't lessen tensions. She's an intelligent woman in that way. It doesn't matter how justified such a reaction would be. You don't want to make things worse." He chides Sasuke gently.

"I know. I didn't expect them all approve of us overnight. But he made her cry. That's unforgivable." Sasuke growls.

He nods sympathetically. The Uchiha Patriarch would have been out for blood, if positions were reversed. Fugaku could emphasize, but secretly he was glad Hinata hadn't given Sasuke a name. If she had, chaos would have erupted.

"I know. People just need time to adjust. You'll see." He states.

"Maybe. At least our Clan is taking it better than hers." Sasuke mutters in annoyance.

"That's because our Clan knows what will happen if they challenge my approval of the courtship and sees that she is a nice girl. She's hardly threatening. You on the other hand…" Fugaku trails off.

"Are you saying that it's my fault? That if I was _meeker_ they'd like me better?" Sasuke demands.

Fugaku chuckles. Sasuke was normally fairly mellow by Uchiha standards. But he could have just as explosive of a temper as the next Uchiha when the mood struck him. He was certainly a terror on the battlefield. Yes, he knew that all those things just added fuel to the fire.

"Perhaps, but that has never really been in our nature. You shouldn't have to change who you are to earn their "approval." You like her. She likes you. That's what is most important." The elder Uchiha counsels him.

"Yeah. Well I'm not going to have her suffer because her Clan is slower to accept change." Sasuke says.

Fugaku raises an eyebrow. God only knows what was going through his youngest son's mind at the moment. He gestures for him to continue.

"She's happier here. Our Clan isn't as judgey." Sasuke elaborates.

"Sasuke, judgey is not a word." His father notes with open amusement at this.

"It is if I say it is. But that's not the point! The point is I'm not going to have her suffer for no reason. How do you tell what size ring a woman wears?" He asks.

Fugaku was almost certain his eyebrow could not be raised any higher. There was really only one logical reason that Sasuke would ask THAT. He was contemplating proposing.

"I would say that Hinata is likely a size six when it comes to ring size. Which means you should get a seven." He states.

"Why should I get a seven, if she's a six?" Sasuke asks in confusion.

"Sometimes on hot days, your fingers can expand. That and overtime people do tend to put on more weight." He notes with some amusement.

Sasuke gives him a look. Fugaku shakes his head. No he wasn't saying that Hinata was going to get fat. She was a ninja. That was rather unlikely, unless she decided to become a housewife, like Mikoto did. (Mikoto bless her, still had the same figure now that she did at twenty, Fugaku wasn't sure how she did it exactly.)

"I'm not saying either of you are going to get fat. Neither of you are completely grown either. Anyway, seven." He repeats himself.

"So you aren't going to object? We haven't been together that long. We are both young. Things between the Clans are still tense." Sasuke says.

Fugaku shakes his head in amusement. All of that was true. But he wasn't actually object. It was his own damn fault really. He had encouraged Sasuke to marry outside the Clan and that was what he was trying to do after all. He was just being a good son and following his wishes.

"Sasuke, I trust your instincts to keep you safe in battle. I'll trust your instincts in this case as well. If you truly believe that you love her and she loves you, there's really no reason to wait. Now Hiashi might be a bit skeptical due to how short the courtship has been. But as he helped to match you, I doubt his objections will be that serious in nature." He muses.

"What do you mean that he helped to match us? We matched ourselves?" Sasuke asks.

"Oh…nothing. Good luck. Would you like me to go with you to choose a suitable ring?" He inquires, trying to change the subject.

Sasuke gives him a look. It was clear his son was trying to figure out if it was worth the effort to uncover Fugaku's "secret." It looked like Sasuke had decided it wasn't. (There were very few men more stubborn than Fugaku Uchiha and Sasuke knew this.)

"No. I think it's something that is more meaningful if I do it myself." He says.

"A fair point. I hope you find something to your and her liking. I should probably go visit Itachi. Poor man is probably at his wit's end by now. The first pregnancy is always the most…interesting for both parties involved." He mutters and Sasuke nods.

"Thanks. Give Itachi my love." Sasuke says as he flits off to go buy a ring and Fugaku nods.

Meanwhile Neji had cornered Tenji. He wanted to make sure the other man didn't do anything stupid. He certainly wished that Hinata would find someone else. But he wasn't going to allow anyone to speak so cruelly to her.

He was also aware of this hard truth. Thoughts tended to become words. Words sometimes became actions. If he acted on his objections, things could get ugly and fast. He wouldn't allow a Clan War to be triggered because Tenji couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"I hope you have realized that speaking in such a way to Lady Hinata accomplishes nothing. You likely only drove her further into his arms. Why wouldn't she? If her own family is treating her so cruelly, there is nothing to prevent her from seeking the only comfort she can find. You are an idiot." Neji growls.

"You're smarter than this! How can you possibly condone such a relationship?!" He bellows at the other man.

Neji twitches. Yes, he knew Tenji was going to be difficult. It seemed he was going to be really difficult. But that was alright. The Branch member would deal with this personally. Hinata didn't need to be exposed to such unpleasantness. Neji would handle it.

"I don't condone it, but my objections appear to be irrelevant. The same as yours. Lord Hiashi gave his approval for the courtship. If you actively seek to undermine it, you are questioning him. Are you really so set on tearing them apart, that you would risk being accused of treason by our family?" The other ninja demands.

Tenji silently seethes with rage. He wondered if Neji would report him to Lord Hiashi. If he did, things would become very difficult for him.

He couldn't fathom why the Hyuga Patriarch had approved such a disastrous match, but it didn't matter. If Hiashi found out that he was trying to undermine it, things would get ugly and quickly.

"I am not a traitor to our Clan. I am merely pointing out the obvious. An Uchiha and Hyuga will NEVER be a good match. You know that as well as I do. You are just too worried about upsetting Lady Hinata to admit it." He mutters.

"That may well be the case. But it is their decision to make. Please stop this. You are going down a very dangerous road. I have no desire to lose you, cousin. The Uchihas are not like us. They do not talk out such disagreements. They solve them through battle." Neji warns him.

Tenji's eyes narrow at the implication. His "cousin" may not say it directly, but he knew what he was implying. Neji thought he would lose. He believed if Tenji fought Sasuke, he would lose.

"Your faith in me, cousin is touching." He hisses.

Hyugas tended to call each other brother, sister, or cousin. Your precise biological tie was largely viewed as irrelevant other than to determine your house and who you could marry safely without worrying about birth defects. They were not actually cousins. Well at least not first cousins anyway.

"Oh I am not questioning your skill. I just know Sasuke Uchiha. If it comes down to a battle, he will end you. Recognizing your limitations doesn't make you weak. It makes you smart. Please drop this matter. I implore you. If they are truly incompatible, I am certain their relationship will end naturally on its own." He continues.

Tenji glares at him. The other Hyuga wisely departs. He knew he would lose his temper soon. Neji was a good Hyuga. He was just acting in a way he viewed as logical. He would do the same.

He heads into the village. He needed to go on a walk and clear his head. That might help. The Hyuga smirks when he saw Naruto. Perfect.

"Jealousy is a quick way to end a relationship. Sasuke is well aware that Hinata used to have feelings for the blonde. It shouldn't take much." He muses and soon enough a plan begins to form in his mind.

Meanwhile Hinata goes to the Uchiha District. She frowns when she realizes Sasuke wasn't at his house. Maybe he had gone to visit his parents or brother? She decides to check Mikoto and Fugaku's place first.

The bluenette knocks on the door. After a few moments, Mikoto opens it. She smiles and gestures for her to come in.

"Morning, Lady Mikoto. Is Sasuke here? He wasn't at his home. So I thought maybe he was visiting you and Lord Fugaku." She mumbles quickly.

"Hinata, you don't have to call us Lord and Lady. Our Clan is not nearly as formal, when it isn't a public function. But no, I'm afraid he's not. Perhaps he got called in at the station? I'm sure he'll be back soon." She says with a smile.

"Oh thank you, L-…I mean Mikoto." Hinata stammers.

Mikoto shakes her head in amusement. Sasuke had certainly picked someone who was his Sister-In-Law's opposite in everyway. Hinata was so shy. The Uchiha Matriarch wasn't entirely certain how she would handle being part of such a boisterous Clan, if the courtship was successful.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" She asks.

"Some tea would be lovely. Thank you." Hinata answers quickly.

Mikoto nods and saunters off into the kitchen. Hinata marveled at the other woman's grace. She hadn't been an active combat ninja for over two decades, yet her footsteps were still completely silent.

"Is Green Tea, alright?" The Uchiha woman calls out.

"Yes!" Hinata answers and Mikoto soon comes out with the tea.

The older woman privately ponders what would be the best way to coax Hinata out of her shell. She knew that the bluenette was rather reserved. So if she did anything too outrageous, she'd likely faint. Therefore, she decides to go with a "safe" topic.

"How do you like the new place?" She asks gently.

"Oh. It's beautiful! It was really generous that you two gave him a house." HInata says.

"Well it was partially motivated by personal gain. I love my boys more than anything, but it is nice to have some privacy to." The Uchiha Matriarch comments.

At the word privacy, Hinata blushes. Mikoto raises an eyebrow. Perhaps she wasn't that shy after all. Then again, if you gave two teenagers a house, it was expected that nature would take its course.

"Y-es, I imagine so. It is nice not to have the entire Clan staring at us." Hinata mumbles.

Mikoto nods sympathetically. Having the two largest Clans in the Leaf watching your every move, had to be nerve wracking. She did feel a bit sorry for her youngest son and his intended. That couldn't be easy.

"How are things at the hospital?" She asks.

"Oh good. I'm still mostly doing physicals and going through more training. But that's alright. It takes a long time to learn how to be a medic and I'm happy that Lady Tsunade trusts me to do physicals this early." Hinata says.

"I did consider becoming a medic briefly. I decided against it though. It really wasn't worth it to me. Fugaku can be rather jealous. I don't think he would have taken too kindly to me giving other men physicals. I'm glad to see that Sasuke is reasonable enough not to have an issue with it." The Uchiha Matriarch says brightly.

"D-o you think he would? He hasn't said anything." The Hyuga woman replies nervously.

"I doubt he does. If he did, he would have said something by now. Sasuke is many things. Shy is not one of them." She reassures Hinata.

Later that day, Sasuke heads back to his home. He quickly prepares a romantic dinner and draws a hot bath. It was Hinata. So he added bubbles and rose petals. (She had never said she liked bubble baths particularly, but it seemed like something she would enjoy.)

He smiles, just as he got done doing that. Sasuke felt Hinata's chakra signature approaching. The bluenette must have sensed her lover and was heading straight towards him.

"Sasuke!" She cries out and practically tackles him.

Sauske blinks. She was holding him rather tightly. Not that he would ever protest her embrace, but she seemed almost worried?

"What's wrong?" He asks gently and runs his hands along her slender back in a soothing fashion.

"You weren't here this morning. I was worried. Mikoto said that you might have gotten called into the station. But I couldn't help worrying." She mumbles.

"Sorry about that. Yeah, I did. I'm okay though. Let me make it up to you, kitten." He says and kisses the top of her head.

Scaring her probably wasn't the best way to start a proposal. Damn it. He should have left a note or something. Oh well. It was too late now.

"It's alright. I shouldn't have worried. I know that you can handle yourself." she mumbles.

Sasuke shakes his head. He sits down at the table and pulls her into his lap. She was such a cute kitten, always fretting over everything.

"It was my fault. I should have let you know that I got called in." He says and hand feeds her, while caressing her cheek with his other hand.

"This is really good." She mumbles and Sasuke smiles.

"Glad you like it." Sasuke replies and eats with her, musing that if she said yes…next time it might be breakfast in bed.

He smiles and scoops her up in his arms once they were done. Sasuke carries her Bridal Style to the bathroom. The Uchiha smirks when he heard her gasp at the rather elaborate bath.

"Join me?" He whispers into her ear and Hinata nods shyly.

Sasuke had to admit, he enjoyed the show when she slowly strips. He almost wished that he had some of Sai's artistic abilities. It would have been fun to paint her. Unfortunately, his artistic abilities were modest at best. (Barely more than stick figures and she definitely was not a stick figure!)

He was decidedly less shy. Sasuke quickly strips and joins her in the bath. He smiles and pulls her against his chest. He decides to apologize for scaring her in his own unique way.

He kisses her neck and rubs her shoulders. Sasuke heard her give a few soft sighs of contentment and smiles. At the moment, the rest of the world ceased to matte.r there was only her and him.

"That feels nice." HInata whispers and tilts her head back enough to kiss him.

Sasuke returns her kiss. After he breaks it, he reaches over and grabs a glass of champagne and two wine glasses. He smiles when he notices the full moon casting it's light through the window. He had found his Moon after all.

"Thirsty?" He asks and Hinata nods.

The Hyuga woman grabs the bottle and uncorks it. Sasuke had to admit he was impressed by how quickly she managed to do that. Those bottles could be rather annoying when it came to opening them.

She smiles and pours them each a glass. The bluenette blinks in confusion when she saw something sink to the bottom of the glasses. She reaches into it and pulls it out and gasps.

Sasuke smirks. She had definitely found it. The Hyuga woman was now looking at her find.

"Sasuke?" She asks uncertainly as she gazed at the beautiful ring.

It had to be a wedding ring. The ring was too beautiful and expensive looking to be anything else. It had a silver band with a large sapphire in the center. Diamonds framed in such way that the gems were arranged to look like a flower. There was no mistaking this for anything other than a wedding ring.

He smiles and kisses her forehead. Sasuke suddenly realized he had spent more time setting the stage, than actually working on the proposal itself. Damn it. He'd have to wing it.

"Hinata, I love you. I want to marry you. I love seeing you everyday and hate when you have to leave." He whispers to her and caresses her cheek.

It was short. He really wished he had come up with something smoother. But it was honest. Maybe that would work.

"You're proposing?" Hinata asks in a stunned voice and nods.

Alright. She was in shock. He realized that he did spring this on her. They hadn't even been together a year yet. It was natural that she would be shocked. Still that wasn't a no…

"Yes, I am. It's okay, if you aren't ready. I know we haven't been together that long an-" Sasuke didn't get to finish his sentence, he is tackle hugged by his lover.

"YES!" Hinata cries out and Sasuke blinks.

He didn't know that Hinata could be that loud. He was pretty sure the entire District had just heard someone shout, _"Yes!"_ They were probably wondering what was going on.

"Really?" He asks, almost wondering if maybe he had imagined it.

He gets a lot more yeses and some kisses to go with them. Sasuke smiles and returns them. That was definitely a yes then.

Sasuke holds her closely after a few minutes. Now that he had actually processed that he was engaged, he realized the hard part was coming up. He knew his father approved. His mother would likely be ecstatic. Sasuke was less sure about how Hiashi would take it.

It was one thing to court Hinata. He knew that the Hyuga Patriarch would likely see it as another to marry her. Then there was the matter of his Clan. The Uchihas on the surface were more accepting of his relationship with Hinata. They seemed to like her. They were less enthused about the rest of her family though.

"Don't worry. We'll figure something out. I doubt father would really object. If he wasn't happy about the thought of us getting married, he wouldn't have approved the courtship." Hinata mumbles quickly.

"Yeah. Good point. So how are we going to do this exactly, kitten?" Sasuke asks and places a kiss to her shoulder, as she had scrambled back onto his lap.

Hinata frowns. She really didn't know what would be the best way to do it. It would likely be a good idea to get everyone together at once. That way they wouldn't have to keep explaining over and over again. But that could be quite chaotic and they would need a good reason to organize such a gathering.

"We need to get them all together at once." She observes.

"Yeah. But how?" He wonders.

"The Leaf is having a festival to celebrate it's founding next week. Perhaps that would be the best time to do it?" Hinata suggests.

Sasuke nods. It was a logical plan of "attack." Almost everyone would go. They'd be in one place. Most of them would be in a good mood.

"Beauty and brains, how did I get so lucky?" He wonders and cuddles into his lover.

"Well I think it was mostly because of the Truth Jutsu and the mission." Hinata replies.

"Hinata, that was more of a rhetorical question." Sasuke responds with amusement and his future bride blushes a bit.

"Oh right." She mumbles and Sasuke kisses her, she really was too cute sometimes.

Hinata smiles and kisses back. It was amazing how the gesture seemed so innocent, despite the situation. They were both naked and in a romantic bath together. But somehow it was still innocent.

It didn't stay that way for long. Sasuke soon deepens the kiss and begins to seduce her tongue with his own. The bluenette moans into the kiss. She decided that it was a good thing they were already in a bath. she saw the way the moonlight reflected off his ruby red eyes, she was suddenly sure that it was going to be a long and very pleasurable night.


	22. Chapter 22

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the review. I hope you guys like this chapter.

 **Chapter Notations/Warning** : Shisui makes a dirty joke. I didn't feel it was bad enough to warrant a warning in the actual story. Summonland is just the name I have given to the place where Summons go, when they aren't being summoned. There is also some silliness involved.

Chapter 22

It didn't take long for the festival to arrive. Sasuke holds Hinata's hand reassuringly as they walk side by side. Hyugas and Uchihas were scattered all around the place, along with other ninjas and civilians. The festival celebrating founding of the Leaf was one of the few times that the Uchihas all interacted with other villagers at once.

Sasuke had grown to resent it really. The village would only use them to keep the internal affairs in order through the police force and for occasions like this. He felt a bit like a tiger at the zoo. It was a display the Leaf's power. This wasn't an invitation granted out of affection and that irked him.

"Don't worry. They know we are courting. Our families had to expect this to a certain extent." He says and kisses Hinata's cheek.

It was the Leaf's way of saying, _"Don't mess with us."_ Look at how powerful our Noble Clans are. If you attack us, you will lose.

He noted that the Hyugas were generally treated with a cool reverence. His Clan was treated like a volcano that might go off at any time. Other Clans tended to fit almost seamlessly into the Leaf's larger culture.

"I'm not worried." Hinata lies.

"Your hands are shaking and you aren't a very good liar, kitten." Sasuke chides his lover gently and walks with her to find Hiashi.

He knew the Hyugas. Sasuke was aware that some were going to object, but they wouldn't cause a scene. Their public reputation was too important to them to risk it at such an event.

Sasuke was aware that last thought was a little devious. But he didn't care. He wanted the announcement to go as smoothly as possible. Doing it in public, was the easiest way to ensure it.

"Lord Hiashi." Sasuke calls out.

"Yes, Sasuke?" Hiashi says as he walks over to Sasuke and Hinata.

"Would it be possible for you to gather the Hyugas all in one place? My father can do the same. Hinata and I want to make an announcement." He inquires.

He simply nods and heads off to organize his Clan. Sasuke blinks. That was easy. It seemed the Hyuga Patriarch wasn't even going to ask him what announcement he wanted to make.

"That was weird. He didn't ask me why?" Sasuke muses.

"I think he trusts you at this point and father might already suspect what is coming anyway." Hinata says.

"Maybe." Sasuke agrees.

Ten minutes later, Sasuke was truly amazed. He would never understand how his father and Hiashi were able to corral that many Clan members so quickly. It was truly a gift.

They must have simply been born with it. To Sasuke, it was like herding cats. He doubted he'd ever be able to pull that off.

"EVERYONE SILENCE! Sasuke and Hinata have an announcement they wish to make. You will all be quiet until they are done. To do otherwise will be considered an insult to the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans." Hiashi warns them and Fugaku nods his head in agreement.

Sasuke had long ago learned that the quieter his father was at a public function, the greater the implied threat. You do not pull a lion's tail and expect nothing to happen. He looked perfectly calm now, but he suspected Fugaku would lose it even more than Hiashi if someone interrupted them.

"Do you want to do it or should I?" Sasuke whispers into Hinata's ear.

"I'll do it." She replies quietly and takes the microphone.

Where the microphone came from, she had no idea. She suspected that Shisui probably brought one to all the formal gatherings. The bluenette would not put it past the mischievous Uchiha to do so. It would certainly make causing a little mischief easier.

"Thank you all for gathering together on such short notice. Sasuke and I wanted to inform you that we are now engaged. He proposed to me and I accepted. We are very happy to have both Clans here, together while make this announcement." Hinata says.

Silence. Complete silence. Everyone was in shock. Hinata blinks. She hadn't expected that reaction. Sasuke wraps his arms around Hinata protectively, as if to shield her from what he expected to be the enviable backlash.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Someone yells.

"SHUT UP! YOU ARE EMBARRASSING OUR CLAN!" A second Hyuga yells at the first.

Soon there were shouts, whispers, giggles, and threats. Fireballs and Gentle Fists began to fly not long after. Kunais and swords were being busted out. Uh oh.

"Well that went about as well as I expected." Sasuke mutters and Hinata nods, trying to burrow into her lover's arms.

"QUIET!" Fugaku roars and every single combatant quickly lowered their weapons, fists, and voices.

Mikoto shakes her head. She really should have brought her frying pan. That tended to get fast compliance. It made an excellent improvised weapon. She smiles at her husband. He was very good at stopping fights. (You had to be when you were the father of two boys.)

"You have all shamed yourselves greatly. Hiashi and I approved of this courtship. We would not have done so, if we were not at ease with the possibility of a marriage. If you have an issue with the engagement, you are to bring it to me or him. Because you will be questioning OUR judgment." Fugaku snaps at them.

"I will echo what Fugaku said. Honestly, you are all behaving as though you were children. Learn to control yourselves better. We are Noble Clans. We should act like it and set an example for the rest of the village." Hiashi chimes in.

Just like that the Uchihas and Hyugas were suitably shamed into good behavior, for now. Both Clan Heads knew that this wouldn't last. They sigh and shake their heads.

"Welcome to the family. It will be so nice to have a daughter. I love Sasuke and Itachi of course, but neither of them have much interest in fashion, shopping, or spa days." Mikoto says and hugs Hinata.

"Itachi does like makeup to a certain extent though. Purple fingernail polish." Shisui says with a snicker and this earns him a dirty look from the other Uchiha.

"Purple is a regal color!" Izumi defends her husband and Itachi smiles, leaning down to give her a grateful kiss on the forehead.

Sasuke sighs in relief. It looked like at least for now things were calming down. He cuddles into Hinata, trying to reassure her that things were going to be alright after all.

"I love you, but your family is kinda crazy." Sasuke whispers to her.

"I was about to say the same thing to you." She whispers back to her lover and Sasuke smirks.

"Looks like the kitten does have some sharp claws." Sasuke muses.

Somehow the Clans manage to disperse. Everyone goes off to enjoy the festival. Sasuke slips off with Hinata and enjoys the rest of the night with his intended.

Elsewhere at the festival, Ino and Sai were on a date. The two of them were enjoying some cotton candy. Sai still didn't get the point of cotton candy. Ino was trying to explain the benefits of it.

"It's just because it tastes good and its fun." She says.

"Sounds like you." He observes and the blonde ninja blushes.

Sai had a way of being scandalous without meaning to. God help her, when he actually started trying to flirt. She smiles and walks with him.

"Well it looks like it was successful. Sasuke and Hinata are together. What is our next project?" He asks good naturedly.

Ino tilts her head to the side. The flower lover considers her boyfriend's question. It was a good one. Clearly, the Leaf needed their matchmaking talents. Hmm. But who should they target next?

"You guys aren't trying to match someone else, are you?" Naruto asks as he walks over to them.

"Ino seems to take great pleasure in doing so." Sai comments.

Naruto shakes his head. You really think the two of them would have learned their lesson by now. Apparently, Sasuke's threats hadn't done the trick. He didn't know if he should intervene or not. He might get dragged into it again and he was already on thin ice with his best friend.

"We should totally find you someone, Naruto!" Ino says happily.

'Um no. I'm good. Thanks. I'm gonna be over here." Naruto says and he runs off.

He runs right into Hinata. The two of them go flying and end up in a very awkward position. Needless to say, Sasuke was less than thrilled.

"Loser, get off of my fiancée." Sasuke growls at him.

"Fiancee?!" The blonde asks in disbelief, trying to process the fact that the bastard had proposed.

Hinata blushes and quickly scrambles off her first love. The bluenette stands between the two men. Sasuke was seeing red, literally. His Sharingan was now activated and the Hyuga Heiress realized that this time, it wasn't because he was feeling frisky.

"I proposed to her. She accepted. We just got done telling our Clans." Sasuke mutters and wraps his arms around Hinata, resting his head on top of hers.

The implication was rather clear. _She's mine. If you even think about touching her, I will make sure you are never able to have children._ Sasuke could be very expressive, when he wanted to be…without saying a word, sometimes.

"Wow! That's great! I'm really happy for you guys. So how did they take it?" Naruto inquires, hoping that Sasuke wasn't actually going to castrate him.

"Not that well. Fights broke out. But our fathers stepped in and stopped an all out brawl." Hinata mumbles.

Sasuke nods. He holds Hinata a little tighter. He knew that she was still upset about the reactions. Hinata was the type of person who wanted everyone to be happy. Sasuke wasn't. As long as he, Hinata, and his immediate family members were happy, he was fine. He didn't see the point in getting upset about insects.

"Oh well that's good that they managed to stop it. Was anyone seriously hurt?" He asks.

"I don't think so. The Hyugas are getting pretty good at dodging fireballs and we are getting good at evading "Gentle Fists."" Sasuke replies.

Naruto nods. Yeah that was good in a weird way. He didn't know why the two Clans were so tense around each other. But it had always been that way, as far back as he could remember.

"Maybe you guys getting married will help smooth things over." The blonde muses.

"I hope so. But you still aren't out of the doghouse. So help me loser, if you touch her again like that, I will kick your ass." He mutters.

Naruto gulps. It was an accident! Sheesh! Sasuke really could be a possessive bastard at times. He looks at Hinata. The blue eyed ninja wasn't sure how Hinata felt about said bastardly behavior.

"Sasuke, it was just an accident." She murmurs and caresses his cheek.

"I know. But I don't want the idiot to get any ideas. He had his chance. He was too stupid to take it." Sasuke says and places a kiss to her temple.

"You really are such a bastard sometimes. Make sure to keep him on a short leash Hinata. Remember he needs to be beaten up at least once a day or else he starts being a REAL bastard." Naruto nods energetically.

Hinata giggles. Some things would never change. One of them was that Sasuke and Naruto were always going to fight like cats and dogs. Men had such strange ways of bonding with each other. She didn't think she'd ever really understand their strange relationship.

"I don't need to beat him up. He's very nice to me." She says.

"Well you are the first then. You better take care of her, bastard." Naruto warns the Uchiha.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He briefly contemplates giving Naruto his daily beating. Hinata probably wouldn't like that though. Plus being snuggled up to her was far more fun than tearing into the loser for the thousandth time.

"You are such an idiot and I take very good care of her." He mutters after deciding that it wasn't worth it to fight Naruto right now.

"Right. Good. I should probably go. Looks like Sai and Ino set their matchmaking sights on me and I don't want to get caught up in the middle of that. They can be a little crazy." The blonde says cheerfully.

Sasuke smirks. He was tempted to say, _"How does it feel?!"_ But he was with Hinata. He decided to behave for now. (Though he was never going to let the loser live this one down later.)

"They are very determined. You really should hurry before they catch you." Hinata warns Naruto with a quiet giggle.

The blue eyed ninja nods. He quickly flits off. Sasuke shakes his head and laughs. Only in the Leaf Village, would someone capable of leveling a village be afraid of two meddling matchmakers.

"This is such a weird village." Sasuke murmurs and Hinata nods.

"Want to go back home? I doubt they would be surprised if we left after the announcement." Her lover suggests.

"Sounds good to me." Hinata replies with a shy smile and walks off with Sasuke.

The next day, Hinata blinks. She was in the Uchiha District with her father, Hanabi, and Neji. Hiashi wanted to discuss wedding plans. Neji wouldn't admit it, but he was curious to see the Uchiha District. Hanabi wanted to be there for her sister, while she made her wedding plans.

Hinata couldn't stop blinking though. She would never get used to seeing Aoda. He was just such a giant snake.

Sasuke kept assuring her that he was friendly and she knew that Sasuke wouldn't lie to her. But when he started going on about his ideas for the wedding and talking about hatchlings, well it was strange to say the least.

"Yes, so obviously the wedding will have to be organized quickly. It will have to be an outdoor wedding. The Clans are too large for it to be held inside. Don't you agree, Master Sasuke?" The snake inquires.

"Yeah. That makes sense. It's alright, my love. Aoda isn't going to eat you." Sasuke tells her.

"Exactly. That's Sasuke's job now!" Shisui says cheerfully and Sasuke winces as the temperature dropped by ten degrees in under two seconds.

Hiashi didn't take kindly to that dirty joke. Everyone knew that his perverted cousin had just referenced oral sex and not cannibalism. The Hyuga Patriarch storms over there and smacks Shisui, sending him flying back twenty feet.

"OWE!" He protests.

"You deserved that one. Honestly, Shisui. Mind your manners. You do not have to express every deviant thought that enters your head." Fugaku chides him.

"You didn't seem to think such an act was deviant las-" Fugaku covers his wife's mouth.

Hiashi smacks his forehead with his hand. Uchihas, honestly. It was like they were programmed to things. Fighting and sex. He supposed every animal was hardwired to do this to a certain extent. But he had never seen a Clan more open about their sexuality. It was a bit disturbing actually.

"Mother, I really didn't need to hear that!" Sasuke and Itachi call out at the same time.

Kenji pat pats Fugaku on the back like good job. The Uchiha Patriarch sighs. He loved his family dearly, but sometimes they could be rather embarrassing.

"Humans can be strange sometimes. Well as I was saying, a short engagement. It would be unpleasant to hold it outside in the winter. You will need a very large cake or lots of small ones. Your families are so large." The snake continues.

Hinata nods and blushes at the discussion that had just taken place. She couldn't believe a snake of all things, was steering the conversation back to a "safe place." The bluenette never thought she'd be so grateful to a reptile.

"Lots of small ones might be more practical." Hiashi muses.

"Sounds good to me." Sasuke says.

"Mmm what kind of music shall we have?" Mikoto inquires.

Hiashi raises an eyebrow. It was obviously going to be classical. This was a formal occasion. The joining of two Noble Clans.

"Classical." He states.

"Modern would be better. Sasuke and Hinata are both young." Itachi chimes in.

"Classical." Hiashi states again and Sasuke watches in amusement as the two begin to bicker over the merits and demerits of each choice.

"Isn't anyone going to ask what we prefer?" Sasuke asks dryly.

"NO!" The two men yell in unison.

Sasuke shakes his head. He looks at Hinata in amusement. Sasuke offers her his arm. Hinata takes it and the two slip off.

"Somehow I doubt we'll get much say in the actual wedding." Sasuke observes and Hinata nods in agreement.

"It doesn't really matter to me. I'm marrying you. The rest is just decoration. Let them bicker over what kind of music is playing." Hinata tells him.

"I feel the same way." Her lover replies with a smile and kisses her forehead.

Hinata smiles. She knew that things would eventually work out. Their families would eventually learn to get along. Maybe. Alright, well probably not. But she was marrying the man she loved and that's what really mattered at the end of the day.

"Where would you like to go for our Honeymoon? I think they might actually allow us to plan that." She notes with a quiet laugh.

"We can go wherever you want. It's not like we'll leave our room much anyway." Sasuke replies with a smirk and adds ruby red as another shade of Hinata's blushes, to the list.

Her lover was a lot bolder than her when it came to teasing. Hinata was still getting used to it. She figured it was more of an Uchiha thing. Hyugas were expected to express their love in a more dignified and cooler fashion. Uchihas apparently didn't think much of making outrageous comments. (Then again that might have just been a Shisui thing.)

"Maybe one of the smaller island nations? They are really beautiful and private." She suggests.

"I like the sound of that. Alright, we'll go to one of them. Do you think they will actually come to blows over what type of music will be played at our wedding, kitten?" Sasuke asks.

Hinata winces. Hmm it wasn't completely outside the realm of possibility. Hyugas took weddings very seriously. It looked like Uchihas were the same way. They were in for a bumpy ride that was for sure.

She looks down at her ring and smiles. It really was beautiful. Somehow they would survive this crazy engagement. Hopefully their Clans wouldn't kill each other in the meantime though.

"It's a possibility. Should we go and try to break it up?" She wonders out loud.

Sasuke considers this. He wasn't sure he wanted Hinata in the line of fire. Itachi could be quite stubborn when he wanted to be and he knew Hiashi was. This fight could last for hours. He vaguely wondered if his father would intervene.

"Lets wait awhile. They might cool off on their own. Do you know which island you want to go to?" He asks.

"There is this one that is famous for its dolphins. I really like them." She says and answers his question.

"Dolphins are nice." Sasuke agrees.

"I AM TELLING YOU THAT CLASSICAL IS A SUPERIOR CHOICE FOR A WEDDING." They hear Hiashi roar at Itachi.

"Classical music has its place, but their friends will feel rather out of place if you choose that." Itachi says.

Aoda winces. Humans could be so loud. He was contemplating if he should ask Master Sasuke if he could sneak back to Summonland. This argument was painful to listen to.

"Hiashi, please stop shouting. You are making Aoda uncomfortable." Mikoto chimes in.

"He's a snake!" The Hyuga Patriarch counters.

Fugaku sighs. Oh boy. Here it comes. This wouldn't end well. Aoda wouldn't take kindly to "speciesism." It was like racism, but against other animals.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Aoda demands.

"If you don't like how loud we are being, you can slither off." Hiashi informs him.

Sasuke sighs as he hears that. He kisses Hinata quickly on the cheek and races back to prevent a major incident. Honestly, he couldn't leave them alone for five minutes without some sort of chaos breaking out. This was ridiculous!

"Will you all please stop fighting?" Sasuke asks.

"HE STARTED IT!" Itachi and Hiashi both say at the same time.

Fugaku chuckles. He never thought he'd see the day when Hiashi Hyuga acted like a child. These were very strange times they were living in. Still he was impressed that Sasuke was actually willing to risk breaking up the fight. That did show courage.

"How about for half the wedding we play classical music and the other half modern?" Sasuke suggests with a heavy sigh.

"Acceptable." Both men say and seem semi pacified by his suggestion.

Mikoto pats Sasuke on the shoulder. It was her way of saying good job. Sasuke smiles back at his mother.

"I hope the shouting didn't scare the bride to be off." Fugaku mutters.

"It did a little. But she's alright. I'm going to take her back to the Hyuga Estate." Sasuke says.

Hiashi nods his approval. Sasuke bids his family and the Hyugas good bye. He heads off to find Hinata. He didn't realize they were being followed by not one, but two Hyugas.

Hanabi followed because she thought them getting married was romantic. She wanted to see what Sasuke and Hinata were like with each other when they were along. But there was also Tenji. Tenji was hoping to find out something that would prove useful in breaking them up. He sighs, rather unhappy that the Naruto incident hadn't done the trick. But tomorrow was another day.


	23. Chapter 23

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I was a little unsure of how long to make the engagement. I finally decided to make it brief, chapter wise. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter Notation:** No one was paying attention to the roof tops, that's why he was able to get away with it…for now. Remember, I only write happy endings.

Chapter 23

Two weeks later, Hinata was at her wit's end. She had always considered herself to be a patient person. However, even she had her limits and they were quickly being reached.

"Do they have to fight about everything?" She asks Sasuke and he sighs, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly.

"Seems that way. Honestly, now they are fighting over what color the tablecloths should be." Her lover mutters in annoyance.

She sighs and snuggles into Sasuke's arms. If it wasn't for him, she would have already used her "gentle fists," on half of her family. This was ridiculous. Maybe they should elope.

"Black is far too somber of a color to be used for the tablecloths. White is superior. It symbolizes purity and innocence. It's elegant in its simplicity." A Hyuga Clan member argues.

"White is boring. It's been done too many times. Black is more fashionable." An Uchiha volleys right back.

Sasuke shakes his head. He leads Hinata off. He knew that his kitten was getting extremely frustrated and so was he. He didn't know if he'd be able to control his temper if they stayed much longer. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would notice if they were missing.

He leads her back to his place. Once they were there, Sasuke immediately locks the door behind them and closes the curtains. Ah it was pure bliss to have some peace and quiet.

"I can't wait for this to be over. They are fighting over everything." Hinata mumbles.

"Don't worry. It's almost over, kitten. The fighting will settle down after the wedding. You'll see." Sasuke says and pulls Hinata into his arms, holding her closely against him.

The bluenette tries to burrow into her lover's hold. This was better. No one was fighting here. She had no idea what they were going to do about their families. Hinata realized they were trying to help, but the little details about the wedding didn't matter to either of them.

She didn't care about what kind of china they used. The Hyuga Heiress damn well knew Sasuke didn't. The tablecloth color was utterly meaningless to both of them. The engaged woman mentally goes down the list over everything that their families had fought about since the start of the engagement. She came up with 54 things and she was sure that she was forgetting something.

"Do you really believe that?" She asks and looks up at her most precious person.

"Well honestly, no. But it sounded good. At least the bachelor and bachelorette parties are over?" He offers.

Hinata gives him a dirty look for that one. That night had been so embarrassing. Having some nearly naked stranger try to give her a lap dance had been so uncomfortable.

She knew that Sasuke hadn't particularly cared for his bachelor party either. He had come home with wide eyes and had said he was lucky to still be alive. The Uchiha had said something about strippers trying to smother him to death with "enhanced" cleavage. It was at this point that Hinata decided she didn't want to know the details and didn't ask further questions.

"Sasuke, don't remind me of that." She grumbles.

"Sorry, kitten. But it's almost over. Just think after the wedding we can go on our Honeymoon to that dolphin island, you like so much. Then we can come back here and you won't have to keep going back to the Hyuga Estate." He says consolingly.

Hinata nods. The Honeymoon and moving in with Sasuke, were the two things that might make going through this sea of craziness worth it. It was almost over. After 54 arguments, how much more could be left to fight about?

"That will be good." She agrees.

"You are way too stressed out. Maybe a massage would help?" He offers.

Hinata smiles. Sasuke's hands were truly made of magic. That did sound nice. She nods her head. Sasuke smiles and scoops her up Bridal Style, carrying her to his room and setting Hinata gently on the bed. The bluenette was now laying on her stomach.

"Just relax." He whispers in her ear and gets behind her, sitting on his knees as he leans over and slides his hands underneath her shirt.

The Hyuga woman sighs in contentment once he begins the massage. That felt so good. She closes her eyes in pleasure and enjoys the pampering.

Sasuke smirks and kisses the back of her neck as he continues. He slides her shirt off of her and enjoys caressing her bra skin. Well minus the bra. Hmm yeah, that had to go. He unclasps it and tugs that off as well. Much better.

"Mmm I'm relaxing." She mumbles.

Sasuke smiles. He was about to see if she'd be interesting in some "stress relief sex," when he realized her breathing had even out. She'd dozed off.

He didn't have the heart to wake her. She looked so cute laying there all innocently. Well as long as he didn't look at her breasts, then his thoughts would go in a very not innocent direction.

He shakes his head in amusement and snuggles into her. Well he couldn't blame his kitten. It had been a long day. He yawns and wraps the blankets around them, before falling asleep as well.

Meanwhile back with the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans, Tenji twitches. This was absurd. He couldn't believe that this was being sanctioned by Hiashi.

"He's always been such a rational man. Why would he condone this?" He mutters to himself.

Truly, it made no sense. Hiashi was not only approving of the marriage, but actively planning the wedding. He couldn't believe it. This was just so very wrong.

Tenji believed it violated the laws of nature, really. Hyugas and Uchihas should never mix. It was like watching a cat and dog try to mate. It just didn't work. Why was he the only one who saw this and trying to actually take action?!

"Whatever you are thinking, don't." Neji says as he strides over to Tenji.

"I have no idea, what you mean. I was merely thinking that I agree. The white tablecloths are the superior choice." He says and tries to look as innocent as possible.

Unfortunately, this was Neji. He wasn't one to be fooled so easily. The other Hyuga mentally sigshs. His cousin could prove to be quite the obstacle in stopping this catastrophe.

"Tenji, do not treat me as a fool. I do not appreciate it." Neji warns him.

"I would never do that, cousin. Hmm I wonder where the lovebirds wandered off to. I don't see them." He muses.

The other lavender eyed man sighs. Neji knew that it was likely Sasuke and Hinata had slipped off during the chaos. He couldn't blame them. Neji might not like Sasuke, but he could certainly sympathize with wanting to get out of there.

"Doesn't matter. Don't do anything stupid!" Neji warns him.

"I wouldn't dream of it. You really should stop worrying. You'll be an old man long before you reach your 30th birthday at this rate." Tenji cautions him and Neji rolls his eyes.

He knew that Tenji was up to something. Neji could see that some sort of plan was brewing in his mind. But he had no proof. He needed proof if he was going to act against another Hyuga. So the prodigy decides to bide his time and hope that he could find it, before tragedy struck.

"Well I think that is quite enough for today. It seems that the great debate about the tablecloth color is finally over. What do you think, Hinata? Sasuke?" Fugaku asks.

He blinks. The Uchiha Patriarch looks around. He didn't see his son or future daughter-in-law anywhere. Where did they go?

"I surmise they disappeared while we were discussing this issue. Most likely they left together." Hiashi says with a heavy sigh.

"Most likely. Oh well. We've been at this all day. Tomorrow is another day." Mikoto says good naturedly and with that, everyone disperses.

A week later, the big day had finally arrived. Hinata had been "kidnapped" by a herd of Uchiha and Hyuga women. They were currently helping her prepare for the wedding. This meant her hair, makeup, wedding kimono, and "helpful" advice.

"She doesn't need makeup. She's quite lovely the way she is." Mikoto protests as she sees one of the Hyuga woman coming over to powder Hinata's face.

"Thank you, L-, I mean Mikoto. But just humor them. They aren't going to listen." Hinata says with a giggle and allows her face to be powdered.

Hanabi looks at her sister. The young woman appears to be in deep concentration about something. There was a serious decision to be made. Should Hinata's hair be worn up or down?

"I think it would look best in a bun, with a few strands framing your face." Her sister decides after a few minutes.

"Oh yes, that does sound quite lovely. I think we should put a pink sakura blossom in her hair too!" Izumi contributes.

"That does sound pretty." Hinata agrees with a smile, though privately she figured that Sasuke would be more interested in getting her out of the kimono than what her hair looked like.

"Now just remember if you get into a fight, men can only think with one head at a time." Aiya says cheerfully.

"What is wrong with Uchihas?!" One Hyuga woman asks in a scandalized voice.

Hinata shakes her head and smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand. It looked like some things would never change. Maybe she'd get used to her new family's more…open lifestyle eventually. She knew that her Clan probably wouldn't though.

Meanwhile Sasuke was getting a similar treatment. He glowers at Itachi for adjusting his male wedding kimono again. He had it on right, dammit!

"Just getting the wrinkles out." Itachi says with a smile.

"How considerate. Have you two decided where you are going on your Honeymoon?" Hiashi asks Sasuke.

"We are going to an island nation that is famous for their dolphins. Hinata seems fond of them and I don't see a reason to object." Sasuke replies.

Fugaku nods. Unlike Shisui, he possessed a filter. He knew why his youngest son wasn't objecting. What man would object to what was very likely to result in sex on the beach.

"Ah good choice." Hiashi says.

"I can't believe my foolish little brother is all grown up and getting married. I'll probably be an uncle before the year is out." Itachi muses.

Sasuke gives Itachi another dirty look. Really, did he have to call him his foolish little brother on his WEDDING DAY?! Gggrr. He felt himself twitch in annoyance.

"Itachi, stop teasing your brother. He's likely nervous enough as it is." Fugaku muses.

"Oh yes, I remember my own wedding day. I'm surprised that no one heard my knees shaking." Hiashi says.

"I'm amazed that I managed to get to the alter without tripping on myself. I had a lot of liquid courage that morning." Fugaku adds.

Sauske blinks. It was hard to imagine either of the proud Clan Heads as ever having been that nervous. He tries to wrap his mind around that image. Sasuke just couldn't do it.

"Did mother beat you when she smelled the alcohol on your breath?" Itachi asks.

"Surprisingly, no. I think she was just happy we were finally getting married and her father wouldn't keep such a tight leash on us." Fugaku answers honestly.

"I know the feeling." Sasuke mutters.

"Ahem!" Hiashi says and Sasuke gulps, putting up his hands in an _I Surrender Gesture._

Kenji shakes his head in amusement and decides to save the day. He informs Sasuke it was time for him to get to that alter. That seems to distract people sufficiently and the youngest Uchiha in the room makes a quick escape.

Sasuke heads outside and blinks. It really was beautiful. The wedding was being held on the streets of the Uchiha District. Honestly, there weren't many places that could hold the thousand or so people in attendance.

"Wow. They really went all out." Sasuke whispers to himself as he walks towards the alter.

It was a gorgeous sunny summer day. The skies were clear blue and the flowers were in full bloom everywhere. The birds were chirping and despite it being the middle of the day, there were stunning colorful glass lanterns hung with lovely flowers woven into them, everywhere you looked.

There were Uchiha and Hyuga banners everywhere. He could also see the tables set everywhere. Some had black and some had white tablecloths. There had to be dozens of beautiful wedding cakes on the tables and the alter was made of pure silver with roses woven into it. (Hyugas apparently were rather fond of adding floral arrangements as finishing touches.)

"Hey, bastard. How are you feeling?" Naruto asks him, once he made his way there.

Naruto was going to be his bestman. He knew that it was a bit odd, but the blonde really was his best friend. As long as he knew Hinata was off limits, they were good.

"Relieved. It's a long story." Sasuke whispers back.

"There goes Garuda!" Naruto says looking up at the sky to see the giant hawk, dropping off "gift baskets."

Guests were catching them. Inside everyone was a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and a bottle of the product necessary to make a bubble bath.

"You are trying to get them all drunk?" Naruto asks with a laugh and Sauske nods.

"Believe me, it's the only way we are all surviving this wedding in one piece. You don't know what are families are like when they are together." Sasuke mutters and looks at the aisle, waiting for Hinata.

That's when Hanabi came out. She was the flower girl and taking her duties very seriously. She was throwing the flowers everywhere. Kita was by her side and carrying the rings. He sneezes when Hanabi tosses some flowers too close to his face.

"Awe they are so cute!" Sasuke hears some people call out and rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

Kita twitches. Uchiha men, no matter what age they were, didn't take well to being called cute. Hanabi seems to sense this and drags him down the aisle, before fireballs start being shot off.

"Kita." Hanabi says warningly.

"Hey! Don't drag me! I'm not a rag doll." He grumbles, much to the amusement of the audience.

Soon loud gasps were heard as Hinata is escorted down the aisle by her father. The bluenette's hair was done up in a messy blue bun, with two long strands framing her face and a few in the back. A Sakura blossom was holding the bun in place.

The wedding kimono was made of pure silk. It was surprisingly colorful with a pink sash and floral patterns scattered across the white fabrics. Red, orange, and golden flowers were displayed beautifully across it.

The kimono flattered her ample figure tastefully and her sandals looked gorgeous on her legs. Sasuke was impressed that she somehow she hadn't tripped yet. It was a little intimidating being watched by everyone. He was kinda grateful Hiashi was now holding onto her, just in case she stumbled.

"You look beautiful. You always do, but especially today." Sasuke whispers to Hinata when she arrives at the alter.

"Thank you." HInata replies with a smile and laces her fingers with him.

The couple blink when they hear a loud disturbing sound. Aoda was in the back bawling his eyes out. Neji looks at the giant snake in concern.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"Oh yes. Sorry. I always cry at weddings." He mumbles and the Hyuga man shakes his head in amusement.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuga. If anyone has any objections for why they should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Priest says.

Neji sighs and quickly gags Tenji. He wasn't going to let him ruin the most important day in Hinata's life. He didn't approve of the match, but Hinata did look rather happy to be standing next to the Uchiha. He couldn't do it. He didn't have the heart to actually object.

"Wonderful. As there are no objections, do you Sasuke Uchiha take Hinata to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? For richer and for poorer? To love, honor, and cherish for the rest of your days? And to forsake all others, until death do you part?" The man continues.

"I do." Sasuke replies.

"Do you Hinata Hyuga take Sasuke to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? In sickness and in health? For richer and for poorer? To love, honor, and cherish for the rest of your days? And to forsake all others, until death do you part?" The Priest asks the bride.

"I do." Hinata says.

"Then by the power invested in me by the Leaf Village and the Fire Nation, I pronounce thee man and wife. You may kiss the bride." He says smiling, brightly.

Sasuke smiles and lifts Hinata's veil. He leans in to kiss her. Sasuke apparently was not a shy person. He was no Shisui, but that kiss had a lot of jaws dropping.

Hinata wraps her arms around her new husband's neck and returns the kiss with equal passion. As always, she quickly forgot about the rest of the world once she was kissing her lover. Nothing else mattered but him and her.

"You weren't kidding about being an uncle before the year was out." Shisui whispers to Itachi and the other Uchiha nods.

"I told you so." Itachi whispers back and yips when he felt Izumi give him a playful swat to the back of the head for that comment.

"Guess we should cut one of the cakes. It is tradition." Sasuke murmurs to Hinata and leads her to the tables.

He allows Hinata to cut it and then playfully shoves a slice in her face. Hinata retaliates by shoving the rest of the cake in his face. Sasuke tries to wipe it off and licks his face.

"Well it IS good cake." He mutters.

Hinata giggles and nods. She smiles and sits down on a chair. Sasuke slowly removes the garter belt. The bluenette blushes at some of the rather suggestive catcalls they were getting. (Most were from the Uchihas, but a few were from some surprisingly bold Hyugas.)

"Let's see who catches it." He says and tosses the garter belt into the crowd, it smacks Naruto in the head.

"OWE. You are such a bastard! You did that on purpose!" Naruto grumbles.

"I did not." Sasuke protests and Hinata throws her bouquet.

The flowers shockingly land on Anko. Everyone blinks. No one had seen that coming. Hinata rubs the back of her head sheepishly and hides behind Sasuke. (Anko kinda scared her.)

Anko looks at the flowers. She shrugs and drags Naruto off. Sasuke blinks. He was more than a little disturbed now. He leads Hinata to the dance floor and decides a dance would make things seem more normal.

"That was really strange." Hinata whispers to him as she wraps her arms around her lover's neck and dances with him.

"Yeah. I guess so. But it's Naruto. He can never do anything normally, not even catching the garter belt." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

The couple is almost blinded by the amount of pictures being snapped. They lower their gazes in an effort not to be overwhelmed by the bright flashes. Sasuke wraps his arms around her waist.

"I love you." He mouths to her.

"I love you too." The bluenette mouths back to him and leans into his hold, content to enjoy the moment.

A few dances pass. Suddenly, Hiashi summons everyone to sit down and eat. It looked like he and Fugaku were planning some sort of toast.

"Thank you all for coming here today. I know it means the world to Sasuke and Hinata. I have to admit that the wedding planning was…stressful, but I think everyone will agree that the final results were more than worth the aggravation." Hiashi begins.

"Let this night mark a new chapter in the history between our Clans. We can put the past behind us and start a more pleasant one." Fugaku adds.

Everyone from the Hyuga and Uchiha Clans were watching each other warily. They honestly, didn't know what would happen next. Thankfully, Shisui as always was there to break the tension.

"And just think how cute lavender eyed, fire breathing toddlers are going to be!" He states cheerfully.

"That boy." Fugaku and Hiashi sigh in exasperation.

Everyone laughs and soon begins eating. Sasuke smiles and pulls Hinata into his lap. The Uchiha proceeds with hand feeding his wife.

Hiashi looks less than thrilled at this "improper display," but he didn't raise any objections. Hinata seemed to be enjoying herself anyway. He would indulge them, this once.

"Finally." Tenji mutters to himself.

He had hidden himself on top of one of the roofs and finally, had a clear shot. He sends the arrow flying. He cursed when he realized that he must have missed Sasuke's heart by less than an inch.

Tenji knew he wouldn't get another shot. He quickly flits to the wedding party. That's when chaos erupted.

Sasuke had been holding Hinata and hand feeding her, when he felt a sharp pain. The pain was enough to cause him to fall out of his chair, bring Hinata with him. Her eyes widen in horror, when she saw what had happened.

"Sasuke!" She cries out and quickly removes the arrow that had lodged itself only a short distance away from his heart.

She frantically starts performing a medical jutsu to stabilize her lover. Sasuke was coughing up a lot of blood. She wondered if the arrow had pierced an artery or hit his lungs somehow.

Hinata notes with growing alarm, that Sasuke had passed out from the shock. But she had managed stop the worst of the bleeding. She screams for help and Fugaku was soon at her side, teleporting them off to the hospital to get Sasuke more treatment than the fledgling medic could provide.

"I am so sorry this happened, Hinata." He whispers as he watches some other medics whisk Sasuke away to the emergency room.

"It's not your fault. Someone shot him." She replies in horror.

"We'll find out who did this. Don't worry. Sasuke is strong and in good health. It's going to take a lot more than one arrow to bring him down." He tries to console his daughter-in-law.

She nods. Hinata couldn't believe this had happened. Someone had attacked him on their wedding day. She knew that Sasuke would be alright. He had to be. But she was more concerned with the fact that if the would be assassin was willing to attack at such a public event, he or she might try again. That thought filled her with a sense of dread, the likes of which she had never known before.


	24. Chapter 24

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I think everyone knows what is coming this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 24

Once it was clear that Sasuke was getting medical attention, Neji knew he had to act. He still didn't like or trust Sasuke, but no one deserved to be shot in the back. That and he would never forget that terrified look on Hinata's face as he collapsed. It would likely haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.

Neji might be more aloof than his gentle cousin, but he wasn't completely heartless. He did recognize now that the couple did truly care about each other. The prodigy knew that couldn't allow this to happen again. Next time, the assassin might actually achieve their goals and Hinata could be a widow before her next birthday.

"Uncle! I believe I know who is responsible for the attack on Sasuke." Neji says as he races over to the Hyuga Patriarch.

"Who? Who is responsible?" Hiashi demands.

Hiashi couldn't believe someone had been foolish enough to attack a wedding with at least a thousand ninjas in attendance. But perhaps that is what made it so brilliant. Everyone's guard was down.

"I'm afraid it was Tenji. He has always voiced strong objections to Hinata and Sasuke's relationship. He does not believe the Clans should mix in this particular fashion." Neji replies quickly, knowing time was of the essence.

"You have as well. I shall speak with him, but I do not believe that alone is enough to prove he is guilty. It is one thing to object to a relationship. It's quite another to attempt assassination over your objections." The leader of the Hyuga Clan observes and Neji nods.

It was a disturbing thought. Hiashi didn't want to believe that a Hyuga was capable of such dishonorable actions. Still he had lived long enough to know that such idealistic views of his Clan, were not particularly realistic. He had to get to the bottom of this.

"I hope that I am wrong as well. Truly, I do. It gives me no joy to tell you of my suspicions." His nephew informs him.

Hiashi sighs. He understood completely. The Hyuga Patriarch was grateful that Neji had come forward. If he hadn't, Hiashi would have no leads at all and that would be completely unacceptable.

"I'm aware of that. Thank you, for coming forward. We can not allow this sort of attack on our Clans to go unpunished. It matters little if it was from one of our own or not. This sort of thing tends to get out and will do enormous damage to our reputations." Hiashi mutters in annoyance.

Neji couldn't disagree with that. It was disturbing. At least a thousand ninjas had been in attendance and not one of them had noticed anything was off. It made them look foolish at best.

"That and we need to find out who is responsible. It's likely they will make another attempt on Sasuke or Hinata's life, if we do not." Neji points out.

It made Hiashi's blood boil with rage just to think about it, but he knew that his nephew was correct. Anyone who was suicidal enough to attack with that many potential witnesses, likely wouldn't give up. He couldn't allow them to be successful. Hinata would be devastated if Sasuke were to die and he was sure the reverse was also true.

"I suspect you are right." Hiashi mutters with more than a hint of exhaustion to his tone.

It was exhausting. They had spent weeks planning the perfect wedding for them. Now they had to figure out who had tried to kill Sasuke.

The scariest thing? The Hyuga Patriarch had no idea if the assassin had been aiming for Hinata or not. It was possible that they wanted to kill Hinata, but had accidentally hit Sasuke.

Perhaps it mattered little to them, which of newlywed they killed. Sasuke might have just been the easier target. Either way, these thoughts made his blood run cold.

"Don't worry, Uncle. We will find out who did this and they will pay." Neji assures him.

"Indeed we will. I shall go see if I can find Tenji. I think your suspicions do have merit. I have noticed he seems a bit distant lately." Hiashi replies as he heads off.

Meanwhile one of the medics comes out of the operating room and finds Hinata. His medical uniform was drenched in blood. The bluenette almost fainted. She assumed Sasuke was dead. That was a lot of blood to lose.

"We have him stabilized. It took several blood transfusions and blood replenishing pills. A major artery was struck. But we have healed it. He's still incredibly weak from the blood loss, but he'll pull through. I am so sorry this happened to you and him. I can't believe someone would attack on your wedding day." The medic tells Hinata.

Hinata hugs her coworker in relief. Thank goodness. Sasuke was going to pull through this after all. It was only dumb luck that had saved him, she realized. If that arrow had been just one inch closer…

"Can I see him?" Hinata asks.

She knew that she had to see him. Even if he wasn't awake, Hinata would be relieved just to see that he was alive with her own eyes. Not that she thought that the medic was lying to her, but still. It was one thing to hear that he was alive, it was another to witness it.

"Of course. Just don't overexcite him." The medic cautions her gently and the bluenette rushes into the room.

Sasuke had always had a fair complexion, but Hinata had never seen him look that pale before. The new wife had never seen him look that weak before either. It felt fundamentally wrong to witness him in such a vulnerable state.

"Sasuke?" She calls out softly and he turns his head slightly to look at her.

"Hinata." He replies with a small smile and then grimaces in pain, causing his lover to rush over to his side.

Sasuke suddenly realizes that speaking and smiling, weren't his brightest ideas. Fuck, that hurt. The Uchiha had just been so relieved to see his new bride, that he couldn't help it. It was second nature for him to respond to her, at this point.

"It's probably best you don't talk right now. Just relax. It's going to be okay. We'll find out who did this. You're safe now. The doctors say you are stable." She says in a rush and Sasuke simply nods.

Sasuke nods. He smiles and holds her hand. Honestly, when he got his hands on that damn assassin, he would going to rip them limb from limb.

He was a ninja. It was expected that people would try to kill him, but on his wedding day? The bastard didn't even have the courtesy to let him enjoy his Honeymoon first?! That was just evil.

He knew that he'd be out of here soon enough. Then he would kill that son of a bitch. After that, he and Hinata could finally enjoy martial bliss and maybe work on giving his future niece or nephew a cousin.

"Sasuke, I know I said you shouldn't talk, but what are you smiling about?" Hinata asks in concern.

"How much I'm going to enjoy killing who did this and that we should give my future nephew or niece a cousin." He says simply.

Hinata didn't know whether to be alarmed or to blush. She knew that Uchihas had tempers. She could scarcely imagine what Sasuke would do once he discovered who his attacker was. The blushing was for obvious reasons. She knew what giving that child a cousin entailed.

"Sasuke, you should focus on getting better first." She chides him gently and brushes some bangs out of his eyes.

"Oh I am. Both are very motivating." He replies with a smirk and Hinata decides to settle on blushing.

Hinata knew she was a natural blusher. But anyone would have blushed, if they saw that smirk. Sasuke could be rather expressive when he wanted to be and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was on his mind at the moment.

"Get some rest. I'm going to go see if we have any idea who is responsible. Sasuke, please don't overdo it." She pleads with him and Sasuke nods, showing that he would be a good Uchiha and rest.

Hinata smiles and mouths a thank you, before heading off. Sasuke might have been injured, but his eyes weren't. It was a nice view as she left. He mentally curses out his attacker again. He should be on his Honeymoon right now and doing a lot more than just looking! Damn him (or her)!

As Hinata was walking out of the room, she bumps into someone. The bluenette apologies and blinks when she realizes it was Mikoto. Well of course it was. What mother wasn't going to check on her son, after he'd been shot with an arrow? She mentally scolds herself for her surprise.

"How is he doing?" The Uchiha woman asks gently.

"They've stabilized him. Sasuke lost a lot of blood. He seems to be in good spirits though." She mumbles quickly.

Mikoto nods and sighs. She embraces the younger woman. The Uchiha Matriarch didn't know what she would have done if positions were reversed. She couldn't imagine if it had been Fugaku that was shot.

"You are very brave. I am amazed that you are as composed as you are. I myself, confess I would be sobbing and still clinging to his bedside, were I in your position." She whispers.

"Thank you. I know h-e'll be okay. That's why, I think. I hate leaving him. But he needs his re-st and we need to find out who did this." Hinata stammers out.

Mikoto couldn't agree more. She wonder if the attacker had fled or tried to blend in with his or her surroundings. The brunette realized she really didn't know anything about the person who attacked her youngest son. Mikoto didn't even know their gender! That was going to make finding them rather difficult.

Elsewhere Hiashi looks for Tenji. Neji did raise some valid points. While it wasn't enough to convict the other man, it certainly did merit further investigation.

The fact that Tenji was proving so elusive to find, did add to his suspicions. Still the village was only so large. If the man was responsible and ran, he would know that would only "prove" his guilt. So Hiashi expected he would find his relative at some point.

"How can I help you, Lord Hiashi?" Tenji asks, realizing that if he avoided the Hyuga Patriarch for too long that would only make him look guilty.

"Ah there you are, Tenji. I wanted to speak with you about what happened at Sasuke and Hinata's wedding. I'm afraid that we haven't found the would be assassin yet. Do you have any ideas who they might be? We must investigate every possibility." He says smoothly.

Inwardly, Tenji breathes a sigh of relief. It didn't sound like Hiashi suspected him. Then again, this was the leader of the Hyuga Clan. He might just be probing subtly for information. There really wasn't a reason why he would seek out Tenji's input specifically. There were hundreds of Hyugas and even Uchihas he could ask.

"I'm afraid that I do not. It's quite terrible." He answers.

"Oh yes, it is very terrible. Neji informed me that you had concerns about the match." Hiashi continues.

Damn it. What should he do? Should he run? Hiashi wasn't accusing him yet, but it sounded like he was about to do so. If he ran, it would likely only cement his guilt in the minds of everyone. If he didn't, Tenji knew that his life would almost certainly be forfeited.

"Yes, I can't deny that. I am far from the only one. Neji also expressed concerns. So did many other members of our family. Hyugas and Uchihas have never mixed before. This is quite the gamble. Surely, you must see that, My Lord?" He inquires gently.

He didn't see what he should feel guilty about though. Tenji had been protecting the Clan. The young man wasn't sure why his family was behaving so foolishly. Why would they allow such a match to be sanctioned? It was practically blasphemy. They should be thanking him, not trying to hunt him down.

"I am aware that not everyone was entirely comfortable with the match. But they do love each other. That is the most important thing. I wouldn't keep them apart because people are slightly uneasy. I am confident that overtime, the Clans will become more used to each other." The Hyuga Patriarch continues.

Tenji wanted to protest that. It was rather obvious that was not true. He remembered how the Clans would bicker about even the smallest detail when it came to the wedding. Hyugas and Uchihas might as well be completely separate species as far as he was concerned. They had nothing in common.

Tenji had no idea why that wasn't clear as day to the rest of his family. Normally, they were far more practical to this. Oh well, it seemed that the task of protecting the Clan had fallen to him. He would do what needed to be done.

"I am not so certain. But I would not question your judgment. It has served our Clan well for many years." He says.

That was why it was so distressing to see Hiashi act in this way. It was unfathomable that the Hyuga Patriarch would condone such a marriage. What was he thinking? Had he lost his mind?

"Yes, I suppose there comes a time when a man has to listen to his instincts." Hiashi says and slams his fist into Tenji's stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

He quickly proceeds to lock up his chakra points. Hiashi then slings the other man over his shoulder and takes him to see Ibiki. He knew that Ibiki would be able to get to the bottom of this.

Hiashi believed that his methods were Medieval at best. But he had never been one to argue with results. Ibiki always delivered results. He was the best in the business, as far as the Hyuga Patriarch was concerned.

"I want you to find out if he attempted to assassinate Sasuke Uchiha at his wedding to my daughter." He states simply.

"An assassination attempt at a wedding?" That's a new one. I had thought that I had heard everything, but this one takes the cake." He mutters and takes Tenji from Hiashi.

The leader of the Hyuga Clan chuckles slightly. Ibiki was far from a comedian, but every once in awhile he did have a good line. He nods his thanks and flits off, leaving man to conduct the interrogation in peace.

If anyone could get the answers they needed, he knew that it would be him. One way or another, the truth would come out. Idly, he muses that the Truth Jutsu would have come in handy during this instance. Damn it. The one time they needed it, it was no longer active.

Later that day, Naruto goes to visit Sasuke. He really was worried about the bastard. But he knew that his family would want to see him first. That's why the blonde had waited so long to go and visit.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He inquires.

"Like I got shot in the back with an arrow. How do you think I'm feeling, loser?" Sasuke replies.

"I guess you are feeling better. You are acting as bastardly as usual. I'm really sorry about what happened to you. What kind of person would attack at a wedding? Not that I wanted you to get attacked at all, of course. I'm just saying that is a really low blow. You know what I mean?" The blue eyed ninja babbles.

Sasuke shakes his head. Naruto was Naruto. He would never be a very concise speaker. His heart was in the right place though. That was what mattered most. Sasuke knew that he couldn't ask for a more loyal friend.

"I know what you mean. I still feel like Hell. But Hinata was here not long ago. So that makes it better, I guess. When I find out who attacked me, they are going to regret it." Sasuke hisses.

"Yeah. They totally will! Believe it!" Naruto says and he blinks when Hinata comes back into the room.

Hinata smiles at Naruto. It was nice to see that he was here to support his friend. She touches her cheek, gesturing for Naruto to do the same.

"Oh right. Um that's just lipstick. I'm not bleeding." Naruto says cheerfully.

"Lipstick? Didn't know you were into makeup loser. But you know it's called lipstick for a reason, right? It's supposed to go on your lips, not your cheeks." Sasuke says in a sarcastic tone.

Naruto twitches. Sasuke was so lucky he was recovering from a major injury. Otherwise, he would have kicked that bastard's ass. Hmpf!

"I know that! Anko just kissed my cheek is all. It's not like I was randomly trying to put on lipstick. Geez, Sasuke. You are really weird sometimes. Hinata, I don't know how you put up with him." The blonde huffs.

"Anko kissed you?" Hinata asks in surprise.

"Well yeah. It was after we caught the bouquet and garter belt. She dragged me off. I think we are sorta dating now. Maybe dating isn't the right word to describe it. I don't know. But I guess the bouquet thing really works." Naruto tries to explain.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. He didn't think for one minute that Naruto would be able handle Anko. She struck him as a far more…adventurous person in some respects than the very innocent blonde. Still this should prove rather entertaining. He was going to sit back and watch the fireworks.

"I'd pay good money to watch this. There's no possible way that your dumbass can keep up with her." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Naruto starts yelling at Sasuke. Hinata giggles. She could tell that her husband was enjoying winding Naruto up. The blonde was clearly letting himself be wound up.

Maybe he thought it would make Sasuke feel better? Then again, it was Naruto. He might just not be able to resist the bait, Sasuke was laying out for him.

"Oh yeah?!" Naruto demands.

"Yeah. It'll be fun watching you get your ass kicked. Anko used to be Orochimaru's next choice for a vessel. I bet she is into all sorts of freaky things. You can't keep up." Sasuke tells him.

Hinata raises an eyebrow. What was Sasuke doing speculating on Anko's sexual preferences? She couldn't say she cared for that at all.

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought." She mutters.

"Hinata, it's not like that! You know that you're the only one I want. I'm just saying that she gives off that whole dominatrix vibe." Sasuke rushes to defend himself.

A jealous Hinata could be a dangerous animal, he realized. She did know how to lock up chakra points. Hinata was also very fast. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to dodge her, if she was filled with a jealous rage.

"Do you like that sort of thing?" She asks.

"What sort of thing?" Sasuke replies, not sure if he was going to dig himself into the hole he'd unwittingly dug deeper or not.

"When the woman is the more aggressive one." Hinata clarifies.

Naruto blinks. Yeah this was going to get awkward. He decides to slip off. The blonde really didn't need to know those sorts of details about their relationship.

"I enjoy both honestly. But it doesn't matter. I'm with you and that's what makes it most enjoyable. So it doesn't matter who takes the reigns. I love you, kitten." He tells her.

"I love you too." Hinata says with a smile and kisses his forehead.

Sasuke smiles. He couldn't wait to get out of this hospital. He was definitely going to prove to Hinata how much he enjoyed their time together.

It was hard for him to process that Hinata was feeling at least a little insecure in that area. She was fucking amazing.

Sasuke was tempted just to lock the store and spend the rest of their lives together in bed (or whatever other hard surface was available or them to make love on.) End of story. There was no reason for her to feel insecure.

"Do we have any idea who is responsible yet?" He asks.

"Not yet. But we will find them. The entire village is probably looking for them by now. I know at least our Clans are." Hinata replies and Sasuke nods, apparently content with that answer for now.

He lays back in his bed. Sasuke trusted the Clans to take care of this. The assassin wouldn't get far. Sasuke was sure of this.

Hinata leans over and fluffs his pillows. It was cute, he thought. The way she was fussing over him, was cute. He smiles and runs his fingers through her hair.

"I know we'll find him. Don't worry. I'm fine now. I doubt he'd be dumb enough to attack a hospital. Well or she. We really don't know yet, I suppose." Sasuke mutters.

That wasn't terribly reassuring to Hinata. This person had already attacked a wedding with over a thousand guests attending. The bluenette honestly didn't think that a hospital would stop them.

"Of course, I'm going to worry. I'm always going to worry about you. I love you. They attacked us at a public event once. They might do it again. I don't want to lose you." She whispers.

Sasuke's eyes soften. He knew that she was really worried about him. He was lucky to have a wife that cared about him so much. He places a gentle kiss against her lips.

Hinata responds in kind. It felt so good to see him and feel him again. Sasuke was still alive. He was going to stay that way, if she had anything to say about it!

"I'm alright, Hinata. You aren't going to lose me. You also definitely aren't going to lose me before the Honeymoon." Sasuke says after breaking the kiss.

Hinata blushes. Her husband could have a very one track mind. It seemed an arrow wasn't enough to subdue an Uchiha's sex drive. Well at least he wasn't an outrageous flirt like Shisui. Sasuke seemed rather monogamous.

"Good. If you die, I'll kill you." Hinata warns him.

"That doesn't make any sense." Sasuke says and looks at her in confusion.

"It doesn't have to make sense! Just know that I mean it." She mumbles and feels her face heat up in embarrassment.

Sasuke shakes his head. He wraps his arms around her. The Uchiha ignores the pain this caused. He wanted to hold his wife and comfort her. He'd suck up the pain and maybe get some more morphine later. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea.

"I know you do. I'm glad that I was the one who got hit. I don't know what I would have done, if it had been you." Sasuke whispers.

Hinata nods and snuggles into his arms. She wondered if it hurt him to hold her this way. Maybe she should tell him not to?

"Sasuke, doesn't it hurt?" She asks.

"Yes, but it's worth it." He tells her without any sense of hesitation.

"I'm going to go get a medic to look you over. We don't want you to reopen your injury." She warns him.

"Hinata, you are a medic and a very good one. Besides, who is going to take better care of me, than my wife?" He asks.

Hinata protested that she wasn't even fully trained with. She made quite the speech about him needing proper care. Then she darted off to find another healer and Sasuke shakes his head. Silly kitten. Her kisses were the best medicine.


	25. Chapter 25

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I noticed that the crack pairing of Anko x Naruto wasn't that popular. I wanted to go for something that had the O_O factor. They are not going to be a major part in the rest of this story and at most might have a couple sentences or paragraphs more dedicated to them. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

 **Clan Revenge Scene:** Everyone gets a turn. I didn't feel that it was graphic enough to require a warning. I apologize, if anyone is particularly sensitive to scenes like that and disagrees.

Chapter 25

"Oh Master Sasuke, I am so sorry! I should have protected you better. I can't believe some coward shot you in the back at your own wedding! Humans can be so despicable sometimes! Not that all humans are bad or all snakes are perfect. I remember Manda, now that was an evil snake…" The giant serpent says as he peeks his head through the window to "visit" Sasuke, a few hours later.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. He knew that Aoda was seriously worried about him, but it was just so funny. It was funny to see a snake fussing like a mother hen.

"It's alright. Aoda, it really wasn't your fault. We'll find out who did this and make them pay. It's going to be okay. Don't worry about it. Oh and if you could try not to flood my hospital room with your waterworks, that'd be good." Sasuke replies, noting that the reptile was bawling his eyes out and the floor was starting to get rather drenched.

"I should have scented the attacker or something. Oh and of course, Master Sasuke. I'll try to pull myself together. How is your Mate taking this?" He asks gently.

Sasuke sighs. Hinata was taking the attack about as well to be expected. Thankfully, she was more composed than his Summon, but still. Sasuke hated to see his wife so upset.

"She'll manage. Hinata is a lot tougher than people give her credit for. I imagine she's terrifying the medical staff now. She's in training to become a medic and knows most of them personally. Probably trying to get me more morphine or something." Sasuke snickers.

"That's good. I'm glad that she's staying strong." Aoda replies and Sasuke nods.

"Sasuke, your kitten has turned into quite the lioness. I think the other medics are terrified out of their minds, right about now." Itachi muses as he walks in to visit his brother.

Sasuke smirks. He called that one. He smiles when he saw that Itachi had brought him some tomatoes. Uchihas might be a bit eccentric, but they did pull together when one of their own was injured.

"Yeah. I kinda figured that was going to happen. She's no Izumi, but she can be feisty when she wants to be." Sasuke says and reaches for his beloved tomatoes.

Itachi hands them to his brother. He didn't want the man to reopen his injury. He sits on the edge of the bed and looks at him.

Sasuke was still frighteningly pale. Fortunately, he was completely lucid and appeared to be in good spirits. So he looked to be on track for a full recovery. (Though likely a slower one than he would have preferred.)

"You chose well and you should apologize to Shisui. You protested too much. He was right when he thought you liked her." Itachi teases him.

"Thanks and nah. Shisui will do something embarrassing enough later, that forgiving him will count as the apology." Sasuke says with a shrug.

Itachi chuckles. Well knowing Shisui that was probably a practical decision on his brother's part. He glances at Sasuke up and down once more, deciding that he was safe for now.

"You just focus on getting better. Aoda, make sure my foolish little brother doesn't try to sneak off before he's fully recovered." Itachi instructs the snake.

"Yes, Master Itachi." Aoda says.

Sasuke shakes his head. Great, now Aoda was going to play babysitter. He gives his brother a dirty look for that one. He wasn't some naughty child that would try to sneak out.

"And don't give me that look Sasuke. It really is for your own good and you know it." Itachi tells him and flicks Sauske's forehead.

"Owe! You always do that." Sasuke grumbles and Itachi smiles.

"Just get some rest, Sasuke. The Clans will take care of this would be assassin. You can rest easy. They are going to wish they were never born, by the time we are done with them." Itachi promises.

Aoda perks up at this. He wondered if he would be able to have a go at the attacker? He hoped so. No one messed with his Master and lived to tell about it! Hmpf!

"And I suppose, if you want we can let your Summon play with him for a bit." Itachi offers.

"As long as I'm the one that gets to kill the son of a bitch, I don't mind if others get a crack at him." Sasuke replies and his brother nods in understanding.

Itachi still had difficulty fathoming that someone would be stupid enough to attack on a wedding day. A wedding day where there were over a thousand ninjas in attendance. This person was extremely foolish or bold. He didn't know which and decided he didn't care. They'd be dead soon enough anyway.

Meanwhile Hiashi goes to speak with Ibiki. By now, he figured the other man would have finished the interrogation. Ibiki tended to be an efficient sort after all.

"Welcome back. The good news is we found the would be killer. The bad news is that it was Tenji. I am sorry to inform you of this. It must be difficult to process that a family member would attack your Clan." The middle aged man explains.

"I was afraid that would be the case. Tell me, is he still conscious?" Hiashi asks anxiously.

Ibiki shakes his head. The interrogation had been intense. Tenji had passed out a few moments before the Hyuga Patriarch's arrival. This was not an uncommon occurrence in his line of work.

"No. He lost consciousness shortly before your arrival. How would you like to proceed?" He inquires.

"Notify the Lady Hokage. I will go and speak with Fugaku. It's likely Tsunade will want to speak with the Clans before a sentence is decided upon. Tenji is a Hyuga. He's under my authority, but I am under hers." The Hyuga man replies.

Ibiki nods. He quickly heads off to inform the busty blonde about the situation. Hiashi sighs and flits off to find Fugaku. He could only pray that his "friend" would keep his composure. He doubted it though.

Hiashi was man enough to admit, that if positions were reversed…he knew he wouldn't have. The lavender eyed man couldn't imagine what he would have done, if it had been his daughter. He could sympathize with Fugaku, but they needed to come up with a plan to deal with Tenji. A rational plan was what was called for in this instance, not blind rage.

"Hiashi." Fugaku greets him.

"Fugaku, I must apologize. I can't believe what has happened. It shames me that someone from my Clan would act in such a dishonorable fashion. Rest assured, I have already told Ibiki to notify the Lady Hokage and justice will be served. We found the culprit." He says in a rush.

Fugaku blinks. They had found the potential assassin? He gestures for Hiashi to continue. He needed a name. He was going to rip the man (or woman) apart limb from limb. No one attacked his family in such a way without suffering the consequences!

"It was Tenji. Tenji didn't approve of the match. I believe in his demented mind, he thought that he was protecting our Clan. I am truly sorry." The Hyuga Patriarch says.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You are not the one that tried to kill my son. Tenji is the one who should be apologizing before. His pleas for mercy will not be granted. I can assure you of that much." Fugaku practically snarls.

Hiashi places his hand on the other man's shoulder. He knew that it was critical that he keep Fugaku at least somewhat calm. They had to see what Tsunade's reaction was first.

"I understand your anger. Believe me, were I in your position…I would feel the same. But we must keep our heads. It won't do Sasuke any good, to rush in without a plan. Tenji is safely restrained in the Interrogation Unit. He won't be getting out. We have time." He assures him.

Fugaku sighs. He knew that Hiashi was right. He knew that logically of course. But the Uchiha Patriarch wasn't feeling very logical at the moment. His paternal instincts were screaming for blood and lots of it.

"Does Sasuke know? Does Hinata?" He asks softly.

"Not yet. I wanted to speak with the Hokage and yourself first. I didn't think it was wise to tell Mikoto yet. I know mothers. They can be even more vicious than fathers sometimes and your wife is quite lethal with that frying pan." Hiashi mutters and shudders slightly.

The Uchiha man couldn't suppress a smirk at that observation. That was certainly true. He had been on the receiving end of that frying pan enough times to know that his wife was very good at improvising when it came to weapons.

"That was probably a wise decision on your part. I guess we should go and speak with the Lady Hokage now." He states and heads off with the other man.

A few minutes later, an ANBU guard knocks on Tsunade's door. She tells him to come in. The guard does so rather cautiously.

"My Lady, Fugaku Uchiha and Hiashi Hyuga are here. They wish to see you. Both of them claim that it is quite an urgent matter." He explains.

"Send them in and give us some privacy. I imagine this is about the attack on the wedding." She mutters and the ANBU heads off, letting them inside.

Both men bow at her formerly. She smiles. They might be overgrown kids underneath it all, but these were two rather well mannered Clan Heads.

"I assume this is about the attack? I am so sorry about Sasuke. It was a travesty what happened." She offers.

"Thank you, Lady Hokage. We have found the man responsible. His name is Tenji Hyuga. He is currently being held in the Interrogation Unit. We would like your permission to punish him as we see fit. If granted, he of course would be executed." Fugaku says.

Tsunade frowns. It was good that they had found the potential killer. She knew why they were requesting her permission. The busty blonde couldn't imagine that Tenji's death would be an easy one. She surmised that their method of execution would be nothing short of torture.

The female Hokage didn't condone torture. But she knew that if she didn't give the Clans their pound of flesh, things would get ugly and quickly. She sighs and nods.

"Very well. You may deal with him in whatever manner you see fit. There is however one condition." She tells them.

"What condition is that, My Lady?" Hiashi asks anxiously.

Tsunade sighs. She couldn't believe she was agreeing to this. Still sometimes she supposed, you had to rip the bandaid off quickly.

"Whatever you do to him, you do either in the Uchiha District or the Hyuga Estate. I do not want the citizens of the Leaf to witness his death. I'm no fool. I realize that it will be gruesome. I do not want other villages to realize that I sanctioned what amounts to torture, even if he does deserve it. Is that understood?" She demands.

"Understood." They both say in unison and flit off.

Tsunade grumbles. She pours herself a bottle of sake. Sometimes she couldn't believe the positions she often found herself in. The busty blonde truly wondered if Naruto would ever have the stomach to do what needed to be done to protect this village from internal threats.

Naruto had a strong moral compass. He was powerful and loyal to the village, but would he have approved of torture? Even if it was to get revenge for his best friend, she had her doubts he would have. It didn't matter now. She'd given permission and that would be that.

"We should probably allow him time to recover. I imagine that your son will want to extract his pound of flesh as well." Hiashi says and Fugaku nods in agreement.

Two weeks later, Kenji smiles and he heard his wife suppress a giggle. The two of them had gone to Sasuke's hospital room because he was supposed to be cleared for release today. It looked like Hinata and Sasuke were celebrating early.

"Should we say something?" Aiya asks.

"Give them a few minutes. They are only kissing and caressing. If it looks like the clothing is coming off, for the sake of everyone, we'll step in." He says and his wife nods in agreement.

"Of course. Ah I remember when we were that age." She says with a smile.

"Indeed. Couldn't keep our hands off each other. Well actually, that hasn't changed." Kenji replies with a smirk.

Hinata breaks the kiss with Sasuke. She could swear that she heard someone talking. She looks around and blushes when she saw Sasuke's grandparents standing in the doorway.

"Hinata, you don't need to blush that much. We are married. I'm sure they know we kiss." Sasuke notes in amusement and that only causes his wife to blush deeper.

"Sorry to interrupt. But your father sent us to pick you up. A big announcement is being made today." Kenji informs them diplomatically, not wanting to embarrass his granddaughter-in-law further.

Hinata scrambles off her husband. Sasuke shakes his head and slowly stands up. His injury was still tender and he didn't want to move too quickly yet.

"Well we shouldn't keep them waiting." Sasuke says, takes Hinata's hand, and follows his grandparents.

Hinata's eyes widen when she sees that the Clan Heads were standing in the center with Tenji wearing a long chain around his neck, a gag, and handcuffs. It didn't take her long to realize that Tenji had done more than verbalize his objections. Clearly the chain was designed to keep him from running away, while allowing some movement.

"They found the man who attacked you." She whispers.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. It did appear that way. He still waits for his father and Hiashi to speak.

"Everyone, we had Ibiki interrogate Tenji. It seems that he was the one who attacked that night. I believe the bylaws of each of our Clans are rather clear on how to address a matter such as this. The punishment for attempting to kill another Clan member is death. Sasuke, Hinata since his offense was against you, you may choose how he will die." Hiashi explains.

Sasuke looks at Hinata. He pauses, uncertain. His kitten would probably never agree with the way he'd prefer to do it. Hmm.

"I think that it's only fair if everyone other than myself, Sasuke, and our immediate family members leaves. This is a sight that likely isn't going to be fit for children. Oh and Sasuke's Summons can stay." Hinata adds as an afterthought.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. It sounded like she was going to play rough? Then again, it was Hinata. She might not want children to witness even a quick death. It was hard to tell what was going on in her mind at the moment.

"Son, do you have any objections to that?" Fugaku inquires and Sasuke shakes his head, showing that he didn't have any objections.

"Very well. Everyone else who isn't an immediate family member or Summon, please leave." Mikoto calls out and the rest of the Clan members soon scatter.

"Can you go invisible again?" Hanabi whispers to Kita as they were heading off.

"Yeah. Why?" He asks.

Hanabi frowns. She knew that she was an immediate family member, but there was no way that father or Hinata would let her stay for the execution. Still she wanted to get a good kick in.

"Can you make another person invisible?" She asks.

"For about a minute." Kita replies.

Hanabi smiles. She has him do it and sneaks up behind Tenji. The young girl quickly locks up his chakra points, wanting him to die as painfully as possible for what he did to her sister and her brother-in-law. She quickly flits back to Kita before anyone could figure out what happened.

"He deserved that and more. I hope Sasuke feeds him to Aoda." Kita says and walks off with Hanabi.

"Wouldn't want Aoda to get food poisoning. Tenji is probably rotten to the core. Who would attack someone on their wedding day?" She asks and soon they disappear.

Tenji cries out in pain, but the gag muffled it. Someone had locked up his chakra, but he couldn't see who had done it. He supposed it didn't matter, he was going to die anyway. He was gong to die because he had done his best to protect his family! It was maddening.

Sasuke circles Tenji slowly. There were a lot of possibilities, but he didn't really know what would horrify Hinata too much. He looks at his wife uncertainly.

"Master Sasuke, Lady Hinata? Do you mind if I have a turn?" Aoda asks.

"Hinata?" Sasuke inquires.

Hinata just nods her head. She was sure whatever Aoda had in mind was likely nothing compared to whatever plot her husband had already plotted weeks ago to extra his revenge against Tenji. Aoda smiles and smacks Tenji with his mighty tail, sending the other man flying several feet back into a building.

"That looked painful." Itachi muses.

"Do you think it killed him?" Izumi asks her husband and Itachi shakes his head, he doubted it.

Aoda wasn't done yet though. He kept smacking Tenji around like he was a pin pong ball. Garuda watches from above, excitedly.

"Well I guess it's only fair. Go ahead Garuda." Hinata mumbles and the bird of prey swoops down, picking Tenji up in its mighty talons, and dropped him from fifty feet up in the air. Tenji cries out in anguish as his body smashes against the ground.

Tenji was dazed and battered. Still somehow he had survived Aoda's whacking and Garuda's dropping. He landed at Mikoto's feet.

"Sasuke, Hinata, do you mind if I have a turn?" She asks in a voice that was far too sweet.

Sasuke and Hinata look at each other. Neither knew what the Uchiha Matriarch was going to do. But they nodded their head in consent.

Itachi was far from the only Uchiha who knew how to use Tsukuyomi. No one was sure what Mikoto was making that man see or experience, but it must have been gruesome. His screams of agony could be heard, despite the gag.

"Fugaku, remind me again not to anger your wife." Hiashi muses.

"Itachi inherited his prowess at Genjutsu from her. I myself am more of a Taijutsu user." He replies and Hiashi nods.

Itachi walks over and forces the traumatized man to his feet. He pulls out a kunai and stabs him in the back with it. The elder Uchiha brother twists it.

"Attacking someone from behind has always struck me as rather cowardly." He mutters in disgust and smirks when he heard Tenji's yelp of pain, as he removes the kunai.

Kenji takes out his cane and smashes against Tenji's kneecap, shattering it. Not to be outdone, Aiya lashes at his face with her whip, cutting it deeply and causing blood to flow freely. The grandparents were apparently satisfied with this pound of flesh because they look at the two Clan Patriarchs. Both were smiling rather smugly as the would be assassin groans in pain.

"I think that it's only fair that you lose the hands that you used to try to kill my son." Fugaku says and takes out his sword, slicing off Tenji's hands.

"I'd take both of your eyes, but I want you to see your death coming. You never should have questioned my judgment or tried to steal my daughter's happiness from her." Hiashi adds and blinds Tenji in one eye with a kunai, eliciting still more screams from the other Hyuga.

Hinata winces. The gag muffled the screams, but they were still blood chilling. She knew that he deserved it. But it was still painful to watch.

"Kitten, you don't have to watch this. He's going to die either way." Sasuke assures her and caresses her cheek.

"I know, but let's end this. We don't want to become as bad as he is." She mumbles and Sasuke nods in agreement.

Hinata walks over. She decides to do the cruelest thing that she could think of. He had tried to kill Sasuke. He did have to pay, but she had never believed in physical torture. She hadn't even believed in mental torture until now.

She places the Branch Member seal on him. That was the ultimate insult she could bestow upon him. He would die as a Branch Member. She knew how much he prided himself on being from the Main House.

"Go stand over by the side of that building. I doubt things will get much better where you are going. I wish it didn't end this way. I wish that you hadn't felt what you did was necessary, but it's too late now. Some things are unforgivable." She whispers.

Tenji restraints did allow him limited movement, so he was able to stand by the building. Sasuke forms a bow and arrow made of chakra. He thought this was fitting. Tenji would have killed him with an arrow, so he was going to use the same weapon to kill him.

"You deserved far worse than this. You're lucky Hinata is a more merciful person than I am." He mutters as he releases the arrow and it flies straight into his heart.

Tenji was killed instantly. They all watch as his body sinks lifelessly to the ground. It was finally over.

"Well that was fun." Izumi says and Itachi shakes his head at his wife's strange sense of humor.

Sasuke heads back to Hinata and wraps his arms around her. He holds his wife closely. The bluenette wasn't like him. She wasn't a revengeful person by nature. She'd probably feel guilty about Tenji's death, but he certainly didn't. As far as he was concerned, he had died far too quickly.

"You going to be alright?" He asks softly.

"I think so. At least it's over now. He can't hurt us anymore. How are you feeling? Does your injury still hurt?" She whispers back.

"It's a little tender, but I'm fine. Come on. Let's go pack. That bastard did delay our Honeymoon for far too long. I know you have been wanting to see those dolphins." Sasuke says and kisses her cheek.

Hinata smiles. Yes, that would be nice. Finally, they could begin their life as a married couple together, without worry that Sasuke might die from his injuries or that the assassin would return.

"I'd like that. I guess we should go pack and we might still be able to head off before nightfall." She replies with a smile.

"Or I could summon the loser here and have him do all the packing for us, with his clones." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"I never would have thought you would be so lazy." She says with a giggle.

"I'm not being lazy. I'm just conserving my energy for important things." He says and Hinata blushes at the implication.


	26. Chapter 26

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Well most people liked the torture scene, which is probably a little disturbing lol. One person did view it a going further than I thought it did. Interesting to see how different people can read the same scene and come away with such different interpretations. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the Honeymoon Chapter. Oh and think this chapter should get us to 200 reviews. Which is rare for me. Thank you guys for all your support.

Chapter 26

"You are such a lazy bastard. I can't believe you had me pack for you." Naruto grumbles.

"You meddled in our relationship, you can suffer the consequences. Besides, I don't want to risk reopening my injury and Hinata doesn't need to bother with such mundane details, when we have you around." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Naruto grumbles. Hinata giggles as she watches the clones run around quickly, tossing things into the suitcase. Sasuke smiles and holds her. He twitches when he saw the blonde toss in some of Hinata's lingerie.

The blue eyed ninja had no idea how close to death he came that day. It was Naruto though, he didn't even notice what he was throwing into the suitcases. So he got to live.

"Thank you, for helping us." Hinata says sweetly.

"Yeah. No problem, Hinata. At least you ask nicely, unlike your bastard of a husband." The hyper ninja sulks.

"Whatever, loser. You ready, Hinata? Aoda says he can get us to the coast by nightfall. After that, there should be a ship waiting for us." Sasuke says as he offers his hand to his wife.

Hinata nods. Sasuke leads her outside and helps her get on Aoda. Naruto and his clones throw the suitcases on the giant serpent's back.

"This will be fun, Master Sasuke! It's been ages since I really got to stretch my scales, outside of battle." Aoda muses as he slithers off rather quickly.

Hinata marvels at the reptile's speed. She didn't know such a massive animal could be so fast. She cuddles into Sasuke's chest and was content to watch as the scenery flew by.

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the coast. They quickly board the ship and a short while later, they were on the island.

"Finally." She mumbles.

"Oh believe me, if I had my way…we would have been here a lot sooner." Sasuke tells her once they arrive at the hotel and check in.

The hotel clerk blinks. The island might be out of the way, but even he recognized a Hyuga and an Uchiha when he saw them. That was a first.

"I'll have someone get your bags. Welcome!" The hotel employee says, trying to hide his shock at the newlyweds identities.

"Thank you!" Hinata says with a smile and Sasuke nods his head gratefully, as they head towards their room.

Sasuke smiles and tips the man who carried their bags inside. It was a beautiful room. A white canopy bed with pink lily petals thrown on it. There were scented candles. The walls were a pale blue and the carpet green like grass. He could see the bathroom. There was even a hot tub and a small kitchen. Finally, there was a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table in the living room.

"It's a miracle. We made it in one piece." Sasuke observes with amusement.

"Don't jinx us." Hinata mumbles as she kisses her husband.

"Good point." He says after returning the kiss and caressing her face.

Knowing their luck, that would be enough to jinx them. Sasuke decides not to take any chances. He hangs a _**DO NOT DISTURB**_ sign on the door and locks it. He smirks when he saw Hinata was already casting a soundproofing jutsu on the room.

Sasuke inwardly noted in amusement that he wasn't the only eager one. He kisses her forehead and then gets behind her. The Uchiha slowly slides off her traveling kimono.

"I'm liking the stockings and the red silk." He whispers into her ear.

Hinata blushes. She smiles though and leans back into him. It was far more suggestive than she normally would have worn, but they were already lovers. Besides, they were married. It was their Honeymoon. So the bride figured that she was justified in dressing up a bit.

"I'm glad you like it." She says and Sasuke nods, as he goes about trying to figure out how to get the alluring bra off of her.

He frowns. How did women get these things on, let alone off? This was getting rather frustrating. He growls in annoyance and his hands glide down her slender back, to the firm curve of her ass. Sasuke slowly slides her red thong off of her.

"You can Summon Aoda, but you can't figure out how to get my bra off?" She asks with a giggle.

"Summoning Aoda is a lot less complicated." Sasuke mutters.

Hinata decides to take pity on her husband. She unclasps her bra and lets it fall to the floor. That was apparently all Sasuke needed because she was pinned against the bed, almost faster than she could blink.

"That's better. You know since we have our own place now, I think I have an idea." Sasuke begins and places several butterfly kisses along her neck.

"Mmm. Yeah?" She asks and sighs in contentment as she arched underneath him and enjoyed the feeling of his lips against her skin.

Sasuke pauses. He hadn't really tried this before. He wondered if he'd get slapped for the suggestion. The Uchiha decides to go for it though.

"We have our own home now. You could just walk around naked. It seems almost like a crime to have you covered up, if you don't have to be." He confesses and tugs his shirt over his head, giving her time to answer.

Well there was another reason. He knew that Hinata was almost as fond of his bare chest, as he was of hers. She might be more likely to agree, if he was also naked at the time. Quickly he kicks off his pants.

"Sasuke!" She squeaks and blushes.

"What? No one is going to see, but me. Besides, I can make it worth it." Sasuke says with a sly smile as he continues begins to place a trail of kisses, licks, and tiny love bites down her neck, over the valley of her breasts, stomach, and settles between her thighs.

 **Warning Lemon**

Hinata had a pretty good idea what he was up to, but that didn't stop the loud gasp when he actually did it. She moans when she felt him making love to her with his very talented mouth. She runs her fingers through his hair and moans wantonly.

Sasuke smirks. He loved her moans. For such a quiet woman, she was surprisingly vocal during their lovemaking. He lightly nips on her clit, causing her to scream in pleasure.

"Nhh fuck!" He cries out in surprise when he felt something rub against his cock.

It wasn't her hands. He knew that. Hinata's hands were still in his hair. It felt like a sensual heated massage. Sasuke squirms and looks down, noticing that it was chakra?

"Don't s-top. I just wanted to make you fe-el good too. I couldn't reach." She pants out.

Sasuke would have been impressed by the fact her chakra control was good enough to project it out like that, if it hadn't felt so fucking good. He bucks against it, wanting more contact. He decides to go with it and licks her hard and fast.

Hinata writhes against him. He liked the feeling of her tugging on his hair. The beautiful she sight she made as she thrashed around in against the sheets. Her soothing scent and her taste. Everything about his kitten was perfect in his eyes.

"Yes!" Hinata cries out, apparently agreeing with Sasuke's sentiments because she came hard.

Sasuke moves away from her womanhood and kisses her. Idly, he mused he should ask her how she had done that with her chakra. It did have possibilities.

Hinata kisses back eagerly and arches against him. They fit together so perfectly. Even their bodies were complete opposites. Soft and feminine. Hard and masculine. Very hard, in Sasuke's case.

"You're beautiful." He murmurs almost reverently and groans when the chakra moves faster around his cock.

"So are you." She whispers and runs her hands along his back, reveling in the muscles she felt there as she places soft kisses to his throat.

Hinata pauses for a moment. It was rather thrilling to feel him against her chakra in that way. Sasuke enjoyed her attention as much as she enjoyed his. It made her feel slightly bolder.

"Sasuke, go sit in the hot tub." She says suddenly.

Sasuke looks confused for a moment, but he slowly disentangles himself from his beautiful wife. He heads over to the hot tub and sits down. The Uchiha beckons her to join him.

Hinata quickly follows. There really was no universe in which she was going to be able to say no to those smoldering ruby red eyes. The bluenette gets into the water and sits down in his lap.

She decides to release her chakra. Chakra foreplay was fun, but it was no match for the actual feeling of his skin against her own. Sasuke smiles and wraps his arms around her waist.

"I like it. This way I can see your eyes." He murmurs approvingly and both newlywed moan when Hinata decides to brush herself against his erection.

"I like it this way too." She agrees and slowly slides onto him.

Sasuke kisses her. He wills himself to sit still. It was hard though. Hinata felt incredible. The feeling of her hot, tight, and wet womanhood wrapped around his cock was nothing short of euphoric. They were still getting used to joining with each other in this fashion and he knew that she needed time to adjust.

Hinata kisses back. She leans into her husband and deepens it. The bluenette rocks against him, moaning when she felt him hit that spot inside her. The one that made her moan desperately.

"Mine." He says after breaking the kiss.

Sasuke covers her neck and her breasts in gentle kisses. That was until he found her nipples with he licked and tugged on lightly. He loved when she would mew for him when he did this.

He buries himself inside his wife again and again. The two moved as one in a slow sensual rhythm. Both were eager to savor being together in the most intimate of ways.

"You feel so good." He whispers hotly into her ear and nibbles on it playfully.

Hinata moan and arches against him. The bluenette didn't trust herself to speak at the moment. She was overwhelmed by the sensation of feeling Sasuke inside her, his lips against her ear, and the sight of his eyes clouded with lust.

She rolls her hips encouragingly. Hinata wanted more. She needed more. Hinata whimpers with need when she felt her lover slowly pull out of her.

"Get out of the tub and get onto the bed. Get on your hands and knees." Sasuke tells her.

Hinata quickly does as instructed. She really hoped that he wasn't actually going to stop. Her womanhood was pulsing with desire. She was on the edge of her orgasm and he had just STOPPED. It felt awkward to even walk the few steps necessary to reach the bed and even more so to get into the requested position.

Hinata might have felt awkward, but Sasuke was very much enjoying the show. The way her breasts bounced lightly with each step and that gorgeous backside of hers was displayed had him licking his lips. Yeah, it didn't take him long to join her.

"Such a good kitten." He says as he gets behind her, covering her body with his own and brushing against her entrance.

"S-asuke, don't tease me." She begs and Sasuke slides himself back into his lover, causing them both to groan in pleasure.

That was when instinct took over. He knew that they were both close to the edge. He thrusts into his lover with a reckless abandon. The bed soon begins to shake under the force of their lovemaking, but neither noticed. They were too busy screaming each other's names and lost in the wonderful feeling of being together to care.

Hinata pants and writhes underneath him. She could feel her release spiraling towards her like a powerful ocean wave. The bluenette was only vaguely conscious of the fact Sasuke was lightly biting down on her shoulder, holding her firmly in place as he claimed her in an animalistic fashion.

"So close! N-eed you!" She moans out desperately and Sasuke slams into her faster and faster, clearly also needing her.

One final thrust send them both over the edge. They reached their orgasm together. There was a loud CRACK as the bed decided it couldn't take it anymore and caved underneath them.

Sasuke pulls out of his lover and holds Hinata closely against his chest. He blinks when he noticed they were a lot closer to the ground now. They had broken the bed.

 **End Lemon**

"I think we broke the bed." She observes as she snuggles into her husband and enjoys the afterglow of their coupling.

"I think so too. Oh well. It was worth it. We can just give them some extra money to replace it afterwards." Sasuke says and rests his head on top of hers.

Hinata couldn't help but agree. Her heart was still racing. She was sure her words were coming out as breathless pants. The bluenette was sure one of these days she was actually going to have a heart attack while being with Sasuke, but what a way to go.

"How long do you think we can stay here, before they get worried?" She asks.

"Hmm standard Honeymoon is about two weeks. We might be able to get away with three before they send out a search party." He notes with a chuckle.

"Let's try for two and a half then." She says with a smile.

"Sounds good to me." Sasuke replies with a smirk.

Meanwhile back in the Leaf, Hiashi was pacing. Fugaku raises an eyebrow. He was being ridiculous. Honestly. He knew that it was harder for fathers to let go of their daughters than sons, but this was absurd.

"What are you so worried about? They are already married. His injuries are healed. There is no reason why they shouldn't go on their Honeymoon." He asks as he watches the other man pace.

"What if his injuries reopen? What if they are attacked on their way there? What if they decide they like the island so much, that they move there? What if he's too aggressive and hurts her without meaning to? You Uchihas are a vigorous bunch and Hinata is so innocent and gentle!" He protests.

Fugaku sighs. He smacks Hiashi. It seemed his friend needed some sense smacked into him and as he was the only other person around at the moment, he knew it was his duty. He just shakes his head at his friend's behavior.

"Hinata is a medic. If his injuries reopen, she'll know what to do. My son and your daughter are both formidable ninjas. I would pity anyone foolish enough to attack them. If they decide to move, which I find doubtful…we could always visit them. And my son, would NEVER hurt his wife in such a fashion, intentionally or unintentionally. I'm quite certain that they are both enjoying their time together and we shall be grandfathers soon." He states.

Hiashi looks at Fugaku in disbelief. He couldn't believe the other man had HIT him. He sighs. He supposed the Uchiha Patriarch was right. His fears were largely unfounded and Fugaku's replies were reasonable.

"I suppose you are right. I am getting anxious in my old age, I suppose." He mutters.

"You aren't old. If you are old, that means I'm old. I'm certainly not old." The other man informs him and pours them both some tea.

The Hyuga Patriarch simply shakes his head in amusement. The fact of the matter was they were getting old. But if Fugaku wanted to delude himself into believing he was still young awhile longer, he supposed it was harmless.

"You're right. What was I thinking? We aren't old." He replies and Fugaku nods his head approvingly.

"I'm just glad that Truth Jutsu is over and Tenji was suitably punished. Now we can all get on with our lives." Fugaku admits and sips his drink.

Hiashi couldn't help but agree. That Truth Jutsu had been the bane of his existence for awhile. Who knew that the truth would produce such chaos. He could only imagine what the Uchihas had been through, trying to keep the peace during that clusterfuck.

Idly, he mused he had been spending too much time around Uchihas. He never would have even thought of that word before the two Clans had begun to slowly mix more. Uchihas had mouths that could make sailor's blush, he had realized shortly after spending some time with them.

"My love, do you know where you put that bottle of strawberry wine?" Mikoto says, peeking into the study that the two men were currently sitting in.

"Hmm it should be under the kitchen sink. Why do you ask?" He replies and looks up at his wife.

Mikoto sighs. She honestly couldn't believe it, but it looked like Aoda was suffering from separation anxiety. Sasuke had the snake take him and Hinata to the coast, but after that he returned home.

It seemed her youngest son thought that Aoda might frighten the locals. Privately, she agreed with Sasuke. Aoda was a fearsome sight, even if he was as cuddly as a puppy.

"For Aoda. He's a bit depressed. He misses Sasuke and Hinata. You know how much he loves wine." She says.

"Ah of course. Yes, you should probably give him the bottle. But don't overdo it. You know what happens when that Summon gets intoxicated. It is not a pretty sight." Her husband warns her.

She nods and heads off. Hiashi raises an eyebrow. Drinking Summons? Uchihas had to be insane. That was the only logical explanation. Why else would you give alcohol to a snake the size of a two story building?

"Yes, I know it sounds odd. But they really do love to drink. I suppose it's fine in moderation. We mostly use it as a reward. Aoda just misses his Master." Fugaku says with a shrug as he shuffles the cards.

"You are all insane. I can't believe you are treating a potentially lethal creature like Aoda, like he's some overgrown golden retriever." Hiashi notes with amusement.

"Well for all practical purposes, he kinda is." Fugaku replies.

Elsewhere in the Leaf, Naruto was laughing hysterically. His laughter drew the attention of Sakura. She raises an eyebrow and goes over to see what was so funny.

"Naruto? What are you laughing about?" She asks.

"Oh I know it's late, but I am making the bastard and Hinata a wedding present." He says cheerfully.

Sakura watches the blonde a bit warily. She had know idea what kind of wedding present that Naruto would make for his best friend and wife, but she knew it would be anything but ordinary. He wasn't called the Leaf's number one hyperactive, unpredictable ninja without good reason. She was almost afraid to ask, but she did anyway.

"And what are you making them for their wedding present?" She inquires.

"Photo album. It's from our time at the Academy and Team Seven. I'm sure Hinata will get a real kick out of some of these pictures. And just think how much fun their kids will have later on, when they see it." He chirps.

That sounded normal enough. She wondered why Naruto was looking so sneaky over a photo album. That could mean only one thing. He had chosen some particularly embarrassing pictures.

"Let me see it. I want to know if Sasuke is going to kill you over it." She says and yanks it out of his hands.

She giggles. Sakura had no idea how the blonde had managed to snap these pictures. Most of them were hysterical.

This was especially the case with one particular picture. The Rookies had banded together to try to unmask Kakashi. Their Sensei had been onto them though and they all huddled in the ramen shop. Sasuke was hugging Choji rather tightly from behind. Naruto had seen fit to add his own caption to this one.

 _ **"My Squishy! ^_^!"**_ Had been written across the photo and she couldn't help but laugh.

"He's so going to kill you. Do you want to be buried or cremated?" Sakura inquires.

Naruto shakes his head. Nah, Sasuke wouldn't kill him. He might throw a few fireballs or Chidoris at him though. He could see the bastard doing something like that.

Naruto was Naruto though. He wasn't one to be cowed so easily. Yeah, he was definitely going to give this to the newlyweds. The blonde couldn't wait to see the look on Sasuke's face. Hinata was going to get a kick out of it.

"He's not going to kill me. So do you know when they are supposed to be back?" He asks.

"Not really sure. I don't think they'll be gone that long though. Hiashi would worry if they were. Sasuke wouldn't want him to send out a search party and have the search party stumble in on them while they were…you know." Sakura mumbles and blushes.

Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. Yeah, that would be really awkward. He could only imagine the chaos that would result, if someone walked in on the newlyweds.

"Good point. So you have anything you wanna add to this?" He asked cheerfully.

Saskura pauses as she considers the question. Well she did have one picture that might make a good addition to it. She debates if it was worth risking Sasuke's wrath to do it though. Maybe it wasn't a good idea.

"You won't tell them, if I give you a picture?" She asks.

"I won't tell them." He agrees.

"Alright. Here you go. I always keep a copy of this one because it makes me laugh." Sakura admits and hands him the picture.

It was a picture of Sasuke and Naruto. They were Genin. The two of the were glaring daggers at each other, as they were participating in a food eating contest.

"Oh yeah. She'll definitely get a kick out of that one. That's a keeper. Thanks, Sakura." Naruto says happily as he adds it to the book.


	27. Chapter 27

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter. This chapter is basically a snap shot of married life after the honeymoon.

 **Chakra Test:** I made that up. It's not cannon.

Chapter 27

The Honeymoon passed too quickly for Sasuke's liking. Quite honestly, it was wonderful to be able to FINALLY enjoy it with his beautiful wife. By the end of it, both newlyweds knew exactly how to drive each other crazy. (Which they did over and over again.)

Sasuke summons Aoda. He smiles and strokes the snake's head affectionately, as the giant serpent babbles on about what was going on in the Uchiha District and the Hyuga Estate during their absence. The Uchiha kindly let him get it out of his system.

"Sounds like everyone is doing well. Come on, Hinata. If we head out now, we should be home before nightfall." He calls out to his wife and helps her get on the massive Summon.

"Okay!" The bluenette replies as she gets on and Sasuke sits behind her, wrapping his arms around his bride protectively.

She leans back into Sasuke's arms. The young woman was perfectly content to watch as the countryside whizzed past them. Once again, she marveled at the giant serpent's speed.

Sasuke seemed more than happy to indulge her in some snuggling. Outside of his Clan and to a lesser extent the Hyuga Clan, he wasn't the most social man. But with her and them, he was different. Sasuke could relax and be affectionate.

"SASUKE! HINATA! WELCOME BACK! " Shisui shouts a few hours later when they arrive back in the Uchiha District.

Sasuke rubs the back of his head sheepishly. Well thanks to his cousin's very loud mouth, he was sure the entire District knew they had returned. Sure enough, people began milling out of their houses.

Hiashi was the first to dart over to them. He looks Hinata up and down from head to toe. Sasuke knew what he was doing. He was checking for injuries. He felt himself twitch.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Hinata is fine." He mutters in irritation.

"Just checking." Hiashi says as he embraces his daughter, murmuring words of welcome to her.

Hinata shakes her head in amusement. She indulges her father by letting him fuss over her. The bluenette shoots her husband an apologetic look. She knew that Hiashi didn't mean insult Sasuke, but it was still silly. Her lover would never let anything happen to her.

"It's good to be home. Aoda says the Clans are getting along a little better now?" She asks hopefully.

"Well it's still a learning process. Mostly Shisui needs to learn to stop being such a skirt chaser. Sasuke's family needs to learn how to conduct themselves properly and our family needs to learn not to try to Gentle Fist them, when they do not. Overall though, relations are beginning to improve." He replies.

Hinata nods. Well it was a start. Centuries of tension didn't go away overnight. She smiles and greets her new in-laws.

"It's so good to have you both back." Mikoto says with a sweet smile.

"It's good to be back, mother. Mostly." Sasuke says and mourns the loss of the complete privacy.

"Well you have your own house now. So there's no reason for the Honeymoon to actually end." Fugaku observes with a chuckle, knowing exactly what was on his son's mind.

Sasuke perks up considerably at that. Hinata blushes. Hiashi shoots his new friend quite a dirty look. If looks could kill, Fugaku would be six thousand feet under. Forget about six feet, that was one icy glare.

"Welcome home, Sasuke." Itachi says with a smile and pokes his brother's forehead, just like he always did.

"Owe! You ALWAYS do that." Sasuke grumbles and gives Itachi his best DeathGlare.

Unfortunately, Itachi was used to this. The younger Uchiha's glares had no real effect on him anymore. Sasuke heard Izumi giggle at the two brothers antics.

"I'm sure that our child will have the same reaction you do, to the forehead pokes. You look beautiful, Hinata." Izumi states and smiles at the other woman.

"Thank you. When are you due?" Hinata inquires.

"Oh it won't be long now. I'm just glad the Morning Sickness is over. This baby is a kicker though. Probably a Taijutsu specialist in the making." She muses.

"BASTARD! HINATA! YOU'RE BACK!" Naruto says as he races inside the Uchiha District with Sakura.

They knew that their friends were back when they saw Aoda moving towards the Uchiha District. The blonde was eager to give Sasuke his wedding gift. Sakura just wanted to keep Sasuke from actually killing Naruto, when he did.

"Loser, you have such a loud mouth. Don't you ever shut up?" Sasuke asks and rolls his eyes.

"Pft! Please. Whatever. I got you and Hinata a wedding present. I know it's a little late, but I think you'll really like it." He says and hands Hinata a book.

Hinata blinks. She slowly flips it open and giggles at what she saw. Sasuke was hugging Choji rather tightly. She flips through the pages and saw pictures of her husband and his team, in various hilarious situations. Sometimes other members of the Rookie Nine were included.

"It's a photo album of our time as a team. What you think?" He asks.

"I think it's adorable. Thank you, Naruto. Sasuke, you look so cute!" She says as she continues looking.

"I can't believe you kept those! What were you planning to blackmail me something or later?!" Sasuke demands and advances on Naruto.

His dignity was just not going to let this drop. He had to do something. It was unacceptable! He couldn't believe Naruto had given her the squishy picture!

Naruto laughs. He takes off running. Sasuke was in hot pursuit. This was much to the amusement of the Uchihas and the few Hyugas that had been visiting that day.

"Brother is really fast." Hanabi muses.

Sasuke was her brother-in-law. So Hanabi had taken to calling him, her brother. It was perfectly logical in the young Hyuga's mind to do so.

"Yeah." Kita agrees and watches as the two members of Team Seven quickly dart out of the District and towards the Forest of Death, presumably for some informal training.

Hinata blinks. She looks at Mikoto rather helplessly. She wasn't sure if she should go after them or not. The Uchiha Matriarch nods her head sympathetically and places her hand on the bluenette's shoulder.

"Don't let it trouble you. Men just have strange ways of bonding." She assures her.

"CHIDORI!" Sasuke calls out in the distance.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto responds in kind.

"Very strange ways of bonding." Hinata and Mikoto say with a heavy sigh.

Hinata nods. Well she supposed she should let them get it out of their system. This was probably Sasuke and Naruto's way of saying they had missed each other. She'd never really understand it, but she was happy Sasuke had friends.

A year later, Sasuke arrives home from the police station. He calls out for Hinata. The bluenette was still a medic and usually her shift ended about an hour before Sasuke's did.

"Hinata, are you home?" He calls out.

"I'm in the kitchen." She replies and Sasuke smiles, heading to the kitchen.

He smirks at what he saw. Hinata seemed to be preparing dinner. But she was wearing only an apron. The bluenette was a little too shy to parade about naked, but she did sometimes humor him like this.

"I see you remember what I asked you to do on our Honeymoon." He muses as he wraps his arms around his wife and places a gentle kiss to the back of her neck.

Hinata leans back into him. She smiles, enjoying the attention. That was one thing her husband definitely was. He was EXTREMELY attentive. Fugaku had been right about the Honeymoon not having to be over.

"I don't want to walk around naked, in case someone visits. But I want to make you happy. So I compromised." She mumbles and feels her face heating up.

"Oh trust me, the sight of you half naked, makes me VERY happy." Sasuke growls playfully and bites down lightly on her shoulder.

Hinata laughs and snuggles into his embrace as she watches the stove. She didn't want it to burn. That had happened more than once or twice. Generally, it was better to have food ready before Sasuke got home. He could be very distracting in the kitchen. (Or anywhere really.)

"Sasuke, do you want me to burn it?" She asks.

"Well no. But we can always order something, if you do. How was work?" He asks as he goes to the kitchen table, content to just watch her cook for the moment. (He could always pounce after they ate.)

Hinata continues cooking. The food would probably be done in a few minutes. She turns off the fire and goes to sit in Sasuke's lap.

"It was alright. Today, wasn't that bad. The worst case we had was a Genin who broke their leg, while climbing a tree and trying to catch a cat." She says and wraps her arms around his neck.

"Oh yeah. I remember the cat chasing missions. Don't miss those at all. I think dealing with Orochimaru was easier than trying to catch a cat, that doesn't want to be caught." He muses and wraps his arms around her waist.

Hinata giggles. It was hard to imagine Sasuke as a Genin, chasing after some cat. She had seen a picture though of Sasuke and Itachi when they were young, looking very proud at having caught one. It was the most adorable thing that she had ever seen.

"Yes, those were not fun missions. What about you?" She asks.

"Today, was mostly paperwork. Honestly, I think father looks for any excuse he can find to pawn it off on me. He hates it as much as I do. Still I guess that's alright. Other than the stiff neck, means I get home without any injuries." He mutters.

"Mhm. I do prefer you to come home in one piece. Want me to take a look at your neck?" She asks.

Sasuke smirks. That was too easy of an opening to resist. He did so enjoy teasing his innocent kitten. (How she still could blush and be so innocent after everything they had done together, was a mystery to him. But somehow she managed it.)

"Kitten, you can look at anything you want, anytime you want. You know that." He taunts her with a sexy smirk.

Hinata blushes deeply. She swats him lightly for that one. The bluenette accuses him of spending too much time with Shisui.

"Eh maybe a little. But mostly, it's just fun to tease you. I'm up to 17 now." He states smugly.

"17 what?" She asks in confusion.

"Shades of red you turn when you blush. I can't believe you still blush after a year of marriage. But it is cute." He says and kisses her forehead.

"You actually…keep track?" She inquires in astonishment.

"Yeah. I think it's a world record. Anyway, I'm glad you had a good day at work. Maybe we can eat dinner, see about that shoulder rub, and then go visit our nephew." He suggests.

Hinata smiles. She nods. That did sound like a good idea. She heads over and gets the food. They eat and then Hinata gives him a nice shoulder rub.

"Mmm.' Sasuke sighs in contentment and closes his eyes.

She really did have such a soothing touch. He didn't know how she could counter the effects of sitting all day at the office, doing paperwork. Thankfully, most of the time, he was an active officer. He would have gone stir crazy otherwise. Uchihas just weren't bred for desk jobs. But still it had to be done sooner or later.

"Maybe I'll give you a massage later." He states slyly, letting Hinata get up, and the bluenette darts off to get fully dressed.

Sasue smirks. It was a nice view when she raced off like that. He really did have the most beautiful wife in the world. It was tempting just to visit Michio another day. Michio meant man on a good path. (Sasuke thought that was Itachi's way of trying to give his son good luck on his walk through life.)

It didn't take long for Hinata to dress. The newlyweds head off to Itachi and Izumi's home. Michio was the spitting image of his father, but with his mother's chocolate brown eyes.

"Sassy!" Michio cries out and tries to run over to his uncle.

Michio was just learning how to walk and say a few words. He couldn't pronounce Sasuke yet. So somehow, Sasuke had become Sassy. (This was much to the amusement of Itachi.)

"Hey, Michio." Sasuke says and scoops him up.

"He is getting bigger everyday. It's nice to have you drop by. Father and mother are here as well." Itachi says as he hears his son crying out for his uncle.

Sasuke nods and spins his nephew around. Hinata smiles and kisses his cheek. Sasuke was so cute when he was playing with Michio. She heads into the kitchen to go visit with Mikoto and Fugaku.

"Ah hello, Hinata. I see you and Sasuke decided to visit as well." Fugaku observes.

"Mhm. I can't believe he's walking and talking already." Hinata says with a giggle.

"He's an Uchiha. Our children tend to develop earlier than most. I think it has something to do with the Sharingan." Mikoto muses, every inch the proud grandmother.

Hinata decided it was in her best interest not to point out that was probably silly. Hyuga children developed at the same speed as everyone else. Her nephew was an early bloomer, but not so much that it was particularly unusual. Uchihas weren't a separate species!

"Maybe." Hinata indulges her mother-in-law.

"Are you going to the festival this year?" Mikoto inquires.

Hinata pauses. Hmm she hadn't talked to Sasuke about it. She probably should though. It could be fun.

"I'll have to ask Sasuke. Hopefully, we can both get the time off work. It will be much more fun now that the Clans are getting along." She muses.

"Owe. Michio, that's my hair." Sasuke says when the baby grabs hold of Sasuke's bangs and tugs.

"He does that a lot. He'll grab onto anything within his reach." Itachi says.

Hinata laughs and heads back out to the living room. She decided now was as good a time as any to see if Sasuke wanted to go to the festival or not. Thankfully, Itachi had grabbed his son and saved Sasuke from further hair pulling.

"Sasuke, do you want to go to the festival? I'm sure that your father would let you have the day off and I have time saved up at the hospital." Hinata says brightly.

Sasuke tilts his head to the side. Hmm he'd forgotten all about it really. Damn how time flies.

"I don't see why not." He says with a shrug and Hinata smiles, hugging him.

A week later, the Uchiha and Hyuga Clans headed to the festival. That and most of the village. Sasuke had his arm wrapped around Hinata's waist, as they walked around.

"You are so possessive." She says.

"I have no idea what you mean." Sasuke replies innocently as they walk past some of the booths.

"I know Uchihaese now. The fact that you have your hand wrapped around me like that says it all. You are telling anyone that is looking at us…you know, things." She mumbles with a blush.

Sasuke couldn't really deny that. He did like holding her, but it also sent a very important message to any man dumb enough to look at his wife. She was taken. Back off or you will be Chidoried.

"That you're mine and I'm yours? Yes, Kitten. That was kind of the point. See anything you like?" He asks.

"Sasuke, you are impossible. But the giant stuffed panda is cute." She mumbles with a blush.

Sasuke looks around until he saw what Hinata was talking about. That stuffed animal was massive. That panda might actually be bigger than him. He blinks. Well if she wanted it, he'd get it for her.

"Hey, there! Remember no jutsus. That wouldn't make it very fair." The man at the booth says.

"That's fine. I don't need them. All I have to do is pop the balloons, right?" Sasuke asks and the man nods.

"Saw your wife eyeing the panda. You need to pop 30 out of 50 for that one." He states.

Sasuke nods. He hands the man the money and sets about throwing the darts. Hinata watches with amusement. That's when Hanabi bounded over to them.

"Big sister! Brother! Have you seen Kita? He was around here somewhere. His mother is looking for him." The younger Hyuga woman exclaims.

Hinata tilts her head to the side. No she hadn't seen Kita. Then again the festival basically spanned the entire village. She could have easily walked by him and not have noticed. There was so many people milling about as well.

"Sorry. I haven't seen him." She replies and then blinks when she saw a water balloon hovering in mid air.

The balloon throws itself. It lands on Hanabi and goes splat. The youngest Hyuga Princess gets soaked.

Suddenly there was a lot of laughter going on. Kita reappears. Hanabi was less than amused by Kita's sneaking up on her by using his trademark jutsu. She lunges at him and Kita wisely takes off.

"Looks like I'm not the only Uchiha that is smitten by a Hyuga." Sasuke observes as he finishes throwing the darts and wins the panda for Hinata.

"Oh they are just playing. I think anyway. Well maybe. Their so young, though." His wife replies and smiles when she realizes he won the giant stuffed panda.

Sasuke shakes his head. He'd bet his life on the fact that it would eventually evolve into more than just playing. But that'd take a few years.

"Well you took my last name. He can take hers. Only fair." Sasuke muses.

"You can be silly sometimes, but I love you anyway." Hinata says with a smile and kisses his cheek, as she holds the bear proudly.

"I love you too, kitten." Sasuke says and blinks when Hinata runs off.

"Bastard, what did you say to her?" Naruto asks as he walks over to him.

Sasuke watches in confusion as Hinata races inside the nearest building. Something weird was going on here.

"Nothing. I just said that I loved her. Then she took off." He replies in a completely baffled voice.

"That's it? Makes no sense. I mean, you are a bastard. But I'm sure you told her that before. Why would that make her run off?" The blonde inquires.

"No idea. I'm going to go check on her." Sasuke says as he heads inside the building.

Sasuke blinks when he heard the sounds of vomiting coming from the bathroom. He heads inside and finds Hinata huddled over. He holds her hair back for her as she empties the contents of her stomach.

Well that explained why she had run off. Hinata was sick. He was definitely taking her to the hospital to get looked over. Maybe it was something she ate? He probably shouldn't have let her eat any of the festival food. It wasn't really very healthy.

"Hinata?" He asks in concern.

"I'm fine, I think. Thank you, for helping." She mumbles.

"In sickness and in health." He repeats and helps her stand, holding her closely.

Hinata nods. She cuddles into her husband. The bluenette didn't know this for certain, but she doubted that she was actually "sick."

They hadn't been exactly trying to have a child, but they hadn't been using protection. Both of them had agreed it would happen when it happened. (Honestly, she was shocked it hadn't happened sooner because Sasuke did love to pounce.)

"I don't think I'm sick." She Whispers and Sasuke's eyes widen.

"Ohhh. Do you think that you're…" He trails off and Hinata nods.

"That's great!" Sasuke says and spins his wife around happily.

Hinata squirms. She really hoped he would stop spinning her. She thought she had thrown up everything, but it seemed she was wrong.

"I sh-ould probably go have a test done and S-asuke please put me down. I think I'm going to be sick a-gain." She stammers out.

"Oh right. Sorry." He says as he sets his lover gently down on the ground.

"It's okay." Hinata says and Sasuke nods, teleporting them to the hospital.

Sakura blinks. Sasuke and Hinata had just appeared in the hospital in a swirl of flames. It didn't look like either was injured. But you could never be too careful. She rushes over to her friends.

"What's wrong? Who is hurt? Or is one of you sick?" She asks.

"No one is hurt. Hinata needs a pregnancy test." Sasuke says simply, deciding the direct approach was probably best.

Sakura's eyes widen in shock. She mentally kicks herself for this reaction. They had been married for a year. It wouldn't be that surprising. She nods and takes them into one of the exam rooms.

"Well a chakra test is pretty accurate. But it depends how long ago, you conceived." She explains.

"I think I have Morning Sickness. So a chakra test would confirm it, if I was." Hinata says, going into medic mode.

Sakura nods. She gives Sakura the chakra paper. Normally, it was used to test affinities. But a modified version existed for pregnancy tests.

Hinata touches it. The paper turns the violet color of her chakra. But in the corner at the edge was a speck of green.

Chakra tests were easy to understand. The woman's chakra color would span most of the paper. If she was pregnant, another color would appear showing the presence of the baby (or babies') chakra. In rare cases where the mother and child(ren) had the same chakra color, the baby's chakra would shimmer on the page.

"Congratulations! You are pregnant." Sakura says and tries to process the fact that Sasuke was now a father. (She couldn't do it.)

"That's great news, kitten!" Sasuke says happily and kisses the top of her head, holding her tightly.

Hinata gulps. Well that meant they had to tell their Clans. They had largely accepted their marriage. But a child was something else. She wasn't sure how they'd react.

"Yes, it is! But how are we going to tell everyone?" She asks.

"We'll figure something out. We always do. Don't worry about anything. I'll take care of it. I promise.' He assures her.

Hinata nods. She sighs and leans into his comforting embrace. She knew both of their families well enough by now, to know what was coming. Complete chaos.


	28. Chapter 28

What Happens Next?

 **Author's Note:** Thanks for all the reviews. So this one is the grand finale and will have a bit of everything in it. ^^ I am always happy to receive reviews, even long after a story is completed.

 **Viewers' Choice:** With this story completed, I will choose another Sasuke x Hinata story to focus on. If you want to weigh in the choices are _**The Monarchy, Why Her, and Siren's Call.**_

 **Chapter Notation:** Unless otherwise stated in a flashback, this takes place three years after the last chapter. There is also a very light passing reference to what happened to Naruto. For some reason, originally sometimes I typed Yumi instead of Kumi. I tried to go back and fix it. Kumi is their daughter's name. If you see any Yumi's, that was just at typo.

Chapter 28

"Sasuke, have you seen Kumi?!" Hinata calls out rather desperately to her husband.

"She's playing with Aoda." Sasuke replies and gestures for Hinata to look out their kitchen window.

Hinata blinks. She looks out the window and sighs in relief. Kumi was safe. It was a little odd that having a toddler riding on a snake the size of a two story building was considered safe, but it was Aoda. Aoda adored hatchlings, as he called them.

"Like father, like daughter." Hinata mutters and shakes her head in amusement.

"Mhm." Sasuke says proudly and kisses the top of his wife's head as they watch Aoda play with their toddler.

Kumi was two years old. Their daughter's name meant rarely seen beauty and Sasuke thought it was accurate. She had inherited Sasuke's raven black hair that was already rather long for toddler and silky, like her mother's. Her eyes were the trademark lavender color of the Hyuga Clan. She had inherited Sasuke's skin tone and Hinata's smile.

Hinata smiles. She could hear Kumi's giggling. She was only two, but he vocabulary was growing by leaps and bounds. Today's word was apparently, _**faster.**_

"Aoda, really does love children." She muses.

Sasuke nods. Aoda had been practically inseparable from Kumi from the day she was born. Sasuke remembered that day well. It forever burned into his memory with crystal clarity.

 _Sasuke paced outside the delivery room. Hinata had told him once the third contraction hit in no uncertain terms, that he needed to get out of there before she killed him. The expectant father decided to take his wife's word at face value and quickly made a hasty exit._

 _Hinata was such a kind and gentle woman. For her to make a death threat, was almost unthinkable. Yet, she had._

 _"Don't worry. All women are like that when they have their first child. She'll forgive you as soon as she's holding your daughter in her arms." Hiashi assured his anxious son-in-law._

 _Sasuke wasn't so sure about that. He winced when he heard Hinata cry out as another contraction hit. Childbirth sounded really painful._

 _"It does get a little bit easier after the firstborn. Don't worry, Sasuke. Hinata will be fine. She has Tsunade, Sakura, and Shizune attending to her. You couldn't ask for better medical care." Fugaku said._

 _"Exactly. You're lucky in a way. Izumi actually kept me in the room and broke my wrist when she was holding my hand for support. It's nice of Hinata to get you out of the line of fire, really." Itachi observed._

 _Sasuke blinked. Hinata was actually taking him easy on him? He shuddered as he wondered what it would be like, if she wasn't._

 _"Well I think everyone is anxious to see the first Uchiha-Hyuga born. You were rather brave making the announcement at the New Year's Party." Hiashi observes._

 _Sasuke smirked. He knew that it was the best time to make the announcement. Most Uchihas and Hyugas would be intoxicated from all the free flowing sake and wine. Everyone would be in a good mood about the upcoming New Year. So he and Hinata had informed them all that they were expecting their first child._

 _"I don't think bravery had much to do with it. It was strategic. Sasuke probably realized that people would put up less of a fuss when they were drunk." Shisui chimed in cheerfully._

 _Fugaku rolls his eyes. The boy had no filter. He couldn't argue with Shisui's logic though. (Fugaku probably would have done exactly the same thing, if he was in Sasuke's position.)_

 _What seemed an eternity later, Sasuke heard the loud cry of an infant. A few minutes after that Tsunade comes out. She gestures for Sasuke to follow her inside._

 _It seemed like the medics had helped Hinata into a cleaner bed and made sure that their daughter was healthy. Sasuke darted over to his wife. Hinata was holding a white bundle in her hands. He couldn't really see what their child look like because of how the blanket was wrapped around them._

 _"Did you really have to kick me out of the room, kitten?" He whispered as he caressed her cheek._

 _"Yes, it hurt so much. I would have hurt you if you stayed. She's so beautiful, Sasuke." Hinata said with a smile and handed the bundle to her husband._

 _Sasuke looked down and smiles. She really was beautiful. His daughter had inherited the trademark pitch black hair of the Uchiha Clan and his ivory skin. Her eyes were all Hyuga though, a beautiful shade of lavender and she had Hinata's sweet smile._

 _"Yes, she is. I think we should call her Kumi." He said and gently handed her back to Hinata, so that she could nurse._

 _"Kumi, I like it." Hinata agreed._

 _Aoda peeks his head through the window. He nearly frightened the medical staff to death by doing so. But the giant snake just wanted to see the hatchling._

 _"Such an adorable hatchling. I will never understand why hatching the hatchlings is so painful for humans. One would think you would have evolved a better reproductive strategy." Aoda mused._

 _"Me neither. But it was worth it, right Kitten?" Sasuke asked nervously._

 _"Of course it was." Hinata replied with a smile and snuggled into Sasuke's embrace as she nursed their daughter._

 _Soon the grandparents and uncle came in. Mikoto was clearly in love with her first granddaughter. It was difficult to convince her to allow anyone else to hold Kumi. Eventually, she did though._

 _"You named her well." Hiashi observed._

 _"Thanks. So what happens next?" Sasuke asked._

 _"Well we'll have to throw a celebration in honor of her birth, like we did with Itachi and Izumi's son." Fugaku said and Sasuke nods._

 _"And then the Terrible Twos will arrive before you know it." Hiashi said with a smirk._

 _"Damn." Sasuke grumbled._

"She's so fearless." Hinata observes as Kumi slide up and down on Aoda joyfully.

"She's like her mother that way." Sasuke says with a smirk.

Hinata shakes her head. She didn't think of herself as a particularly fearless person. But it was nice of Sasuke to say that all the same.

"How do you figure?" She asks.

"You married into the Uchiha Clan. That takes a sense of fearlessness to do." Her lover informs her and Hinata giggles.

Hiashi, Mikoto, and Fugaku head over to visit their grandchild. The Patriarchs blink. Neither was really sure that having a toddler use a massive serpent for a slide, was a very good idea.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Fugaku asks in concern.

"Yes, what if she falls off of him? From that height, she'd be crushed to death." Hiashi agrees.

Sasuke shakes his head. It was perfectly safe. Aoda would sooner pull his fangs out than allow harm to come to Kumi. Really, the snake made the best babysitter.

"It's safe. Don't worry. Aoda is very good at making sure she stays safe." Sasuke assures them.

The two men nod. Neither looked entirely convinced. But it seemed they weren't going to argue.

"Aoda, bring Kumi over here. Our parents want to visit with her." Sasuke shouts at the snake.

Aoda slithers over and gently sets Kumi on the ground. She smiles and bounds over to her grandparents. She knew what grandparents meant. Grandparents meant presents!

"You're growing so fast." Mikoto muses as she smiles and scoops her up.

"Grandma!" Kumi cries out happy and enjoys the snuggles.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. It was just then that he noticed that his father and Hiashi were each carrying a rather large bag. They had clearly brought something with them.

He shakes his head in amusement. Not this again. Fugaku and Hiashi were both very proud men. Neither would say it out loud, but there did seem to be an unofficial contest going on between them. Each wanted to be Kumi's favorite grandfather.

"What did you two get her this time?" Sasuke dares himself to ask.

"I got her a pink panda to go with that one you won for Hinata a couple years ago. Girls like pink." Fugaku reasons.

Mikoto kisses his cheek. She whispers something to her husband about not being stereotypical. Not all girls liked pink after all.

"I got her some new clothes." Hiashi says.

Hinata looks into the bag. She blinks. Some new clothes was a bit of an understatement. They could have started a child's clothing store with all the fabric inside that bag.

"Don't you think you overdid it?" Hinata inquires with a quiet giggle.

"Nonsense. Nothing is too good for my first grandchild. Besides, she's growing so fast. She'll probably outgrow half of them in three months." He states.

"Yay presents!" Kumi says and hugs the panda, while digging through the bag of clothes curiously.

Itachi laughs as he makes his way over to them, along with Izumi and Yumi's cousin. Their children were all going to be very spoiled, he was sure of it. But he didn't have the heart to protest.

"Well she definitely understands the word presents." He noted with unsuppressed mirth.

Sasuke nods. Oh yeah, that was one word that his daughter had learned early on. Mostly thanks to the favorite grandfather contest.

"Well it will be lots of fun to dress her up." Hinata muses.

"Yes, dress up is fun. For example, I really like dressing you up." Sasuke says with a smirk and Hinata blushes.

Fugaku chuckles. Well it seemed like the Honeymoon still wasn't over. He expected them to provide him with a third grandchild soon at this rate. (Itachi's son and Sasuke's daughter made two.)

Sasuke sighs and ducks. He had a sixth sense at this point. He just knew when Naruto was coming. The idiot tried to tackle hug him. Yeah, that wasn't going to work this time. Naruto ended up face planting on the ground.

"Can't you greet people like a normal person? Do you have to try to tackle hug me?" Sasuke questions him.

"Awe. Where's the fun in that! Hey, bastard. I just thought you ought to know that I checked your house first. Kumi kinda went wild earlier, it looks like." The blonde says.

Sasuke gulps. Kumi was in her terrible twos. The girl was getting into everything. She was a very…energetic child with a high capacity for destruction. She was a very happy and sweet child, but she could make the worst messes.

"I'll go look." Hinata says and heads into the house.

Hinata blinks. How could ONE toddler do this much damage? All of the walls had crayon scribbles, paint, and glitter scattered across them. It looked like Kumi had played with all of her toys, they were scattered everywhere and somehow she had torn apart some feathered pillows. So in addition to everything else, there were feathers thrown about the place.

"They weren't kidding about the Terrible Twos." Hinata says with a dramatic sigh.

Sasuke follows his wife into the house. He looks around their home in awe of the sheer destructive power that was his two year old daughter. It was unbelievable really.

"Guess not. She'll outgrow the destructive phase. I hope anyway." Sasuke says with a chuckle and wraps his arms around her.

"Me too." Hinata mumbles and leans into her lover's embrace.

"I'll just have some clones clean it up. You know if you wanted to try again, Kumi should be out of her Terrible Twos by the time we had our second child. It'd be nice if she had a brother or sister to play with." Sasuke whispers hotly in her ear.

"Sasuke! Our families and Naruto are right outside." Hinata squeaks and blushes.

Sauske smirks. That was what made it exciting. Though he knew better than to actually seduce his wife, when his father-in-law could see through walls.

They were married. They had a child. Hiashi had to know they were intimate, but still Sasuke supposed that was no reason to rub it in his face.

"Maybe later then." He says rather scandalously and rests his hand on the curve of her hip suggestively.

"Mmm you are almost as bad as Shisui in your own way." Hinata muses.

Sasuke shrugs. He didn't think so. Shisui was still as big a flirt as ever. Sauke only seduced Hinata. His cousin would try to seduce every pretty face he saw.

"Only for you, kitten. Only for you." He promises and Hinata smiles.

"Good. Because if another woman even thought about touching you…" Hinata growls.

"A kitten who has claws." Sasuke muses and pushes his wife against the wall, kissing her hotly.

Of course, it was at that moment that their family members decided to amble in. Hinata blushes scarlet and Sasuke sighs, getting off of her. Damn it. There were a lot of advantages to living in such a large Clan, but also some drawbacks. (There was a greater chance someone would walk in on them.)

"I'm assuming that Kumi is responsible for the mess and not you two?" Fugaku asks with a chuckle.

"…" Hiashi is speechless.

Itachi pats his shoulder consolingly. The poor prim and proper man just didn't know how to process that his daughter was regularly getting ravished by Sasuke. Honestly, he had to know it was going on. But Itachi supposed it was different seeing it in person than knowing about it in theory.

"Look at it this way, it's likely you'll have a second grandchild soon." Itachi says.

"I suppose that's one way to look at it." Hiashi says with a heavy sigh.

"Mommy!" Kumi scrambles over to Hinata and holds out her arms to be picked up.

"Kumi, you know the walls aren't a coloring book, right?" Hinata asks as she scoops up her daughter and smiles, holding her tightly.

Sasuke shakes his head in amusement. She was only two, but he could see that she was trying to look as innocent as possible. Kumi knew that she wasn't supposed to color on the walls.

"But it pretty!" She protests and snuggles into her mother's comforting hug.

"Yes, it is very pretty. But maybe we can get you some canvases to color on instead." Hinata muses.

It was impossible to stay mad at Kumi. One look at those big bubble eyes and you were doomed. Every member of the Uchiha and Hyuga Clan had come to accept this.

"I'll ask Hanabi and Kita to get some from Sai." Sasuke muses.

"You won that bet." Hinata pouts.

Hanabi and Kita were now Genin on the same team. The two were "dating." Well as much as kids that age could date anyway. Mostly it seemed confined to going to the Ramen shop together, swimming, handholding, and probably some kissing.

Sasuke knew that Hiashi hadn't caught them doing the last part though. Kita was still alive after all. The Hyuga Patriarch was VERY protective of his daughters. Sauske understood now though. It was going to be murder once Kumi got her first boyfriend.

"Of course, I won that bet. I always win our bets." Sasuke says with a smirk.

"Well not always. Remember the Land of Tea?" She asks and Sasuke could feel his face heating up for a change.

Yeah he had lost a bet to Hinata over who could eat the most rice. He ended up losing and got chakra cuffed for the night. Hinata was normally his adorable sex kitten. But that night, well she had been very…assertive.

"Oh trust me, THAT I remember." He whispers.

"Grandma!" Kumi calls out excitedly.

Mikoto smiles. She sits down on her knees to be eyelevel with the child. Clearly, Kumi wanted to show her something.

She tilts her head in confusion when she saw that Kumi had a seed in her hand. Then she watches as the seed slowly blooms into a rose.

"D-id you just see that?!" Mikoto calls out to everyone.

"I guess that explains why she had green chakra on the test. Her first affinity is Earth. Odd. Hinata and I are both fire and lightning." Sasuke muses.

"Your daughter just performed a genin level technique and that's all you have to say?" Hiashi demands in disbelief.

Sasuke smirks. He shrugs. She was an Uchiha (and had Hyuga blood in her veins.) Of course she was going to be gifted. That was almost a given.

"Pretty?" Kumi asks.

"Very pretty." Mikoto agrees and kisses her granddaughter's forehead.

"Well flowers are nice. Hopefully, she can find a way to use it offensively or defensively later." Hiashi muses.

"She's only two. Besides, perhaps she can always get a job working in Ino's shop later." Izumi muses.

Hiashi looks scandalized. A Hyuga working in a flower shop?! It was outrageous. Honestly, what was wrong with these Uchihas? They came up with the notions.

"She's probably not going to work in the flower shop, but whatever makes her happy." Sasuke says.

"Of course. Her happiness is paramount. I just hope that her happiness isn't found working in a flower shop. It's hard to be taken seriously as a ninja when spend most of your day playing with flowers." He observes.

Neji walks into the house. He shakes his head when he hears what his uncle said. He was walking into a landmine. Luckily, Neji was there to get him out of it.

"It's impressive that she can already control her chakra to such an extent. You must be very proud." He offers.

"Extremely." Sasuke agrees.

Kumi smiles and reaches for Neji. Mikoto carries her over and lets the prodigy hold her. Sasuke and Neji were still on aloof terms at best, but no one could doubt that Neji doted on Kumi.

"You are going to be the most spoiled child in the entire Leaf Village at this rate." He muses.

"Presents?" She asks and smiles up at him with her big bubble eyes.

"I pity the boys in this village in the next decade or two. Those eyes are lethal." He chuckles.

Sasuke nods. Oh yes, he well knew the power of the Bubble Eyes Jutsu. She was still a toddler, but he was almost positive that Yumi knew exactly what she was doing. She was after all an Uchiha-Hyuga. Who really knew what was going on in her mind?

"Me too." Sasuke agrees.

"Well I guess I better get back home. I just wanted to stop by and see my favorite bastard and everyone else. Anko wants me to get her some mangos." Naruto says.

Sasuke smirks. Ah pregnancy cravings. Yeah, he remembered those. He didn't envy the loser. He had no idea what he was in for. If Hinata had been vicious during childbirth, he could only imagine what Anko would be like.

"Good luck, loser. You are going to need it." Sasuke says as his friend bounds off.

"Well I guess it is a little late. We should probably let Kumi get her rest." Mikoto observes and the others nod.

Everyone exchanges their goodbyes. Sasuke shuts the door after they leave. He scoops up his daughter and carries her to her bedroom, setting her down gently.

"Story!" She says happily and Sasuke nods, with Hinata watching in the corner.

"Alright. A long time ago there was a man named Orochimaru. He wanted to take over the Leaf Village. So he used a forbidden jutsu that made everyone tell the truth." Sasuke begins.

Kumi nods and listens excitedly. Hinata had no idea if she understood anything that Sasuke was talking about. She got the impression that Kumi just liked hearing her father's voice.

Hinata did too, but for different reasons. Actually, Sasuke had a very seductive voice. That was one of the reasons why they had Kumi in the first place, she thought with a smile.

"It kept our family very busy. During this time, Ino and Sai decided to be sneaky. They decided that they were going to play matchmaker for us." Sasuke continues.

Somehow Sasuke was able to summarize what had happened, while making it appropriate for a child to listen to. It was really a gift.

"What happens next?" She asks at the end.

"You go to sleep. That's what happens next." Sasuke said and kisses her forehead, tucking Kumi in, and then goes to join Hinata in their room.

Hinata smiles and shuts the door behind them. She kisses Sasuke and wraps her arms around his neck. Sasuke returns the kiss and not so subtly casts a soundproofing jutsu. (There really wasn't much of a point in putting Kumi to bed if she was going to be woken up by loud noises a few minutes later.)

"Were you serious about wanting to give Kumi a little brother or sister?" Hinata asks, after breaking the kiss.

"Very serious." Sasuke says with a smirk.

By the time they were done with their lovemaking, Sasuke saw the Sun rising through their window. He smirks as he realizes his father had been right about one thing. There was no reason for the Honeymoon to end.

With that thought in mind, he yawns and falls into a contented sleep next to his wife. He knew they could handle whatever happened next. As long as they were together, anything was possible.


End file.
